Scarred
by TheAUWalker
Summary: A summer has passed in Death City, and soon school is back in again. One thing is different, though...what has happened to Stein's top student? OC fic, starts a few years after the anime ends.
1. Chapter 1

**Scarred**

**A/N: Heh heh, here I am, writing another story :P I've actually had this idea in my head for a long time and decided to get rid of it.**

**This is a really dark story, but it'll be T. Just be cautious, and don't read this story if you don't like fics where Stein goes mad and takes the ol' scalpel out.**

**I don't own Soul Eater, but I do own Charlotte and Rim.**

**I hope no one is too OOC, and please review so I know how this is!**

**By the way, I know some things in this fic may seem unrealistic, such as how much attention Stein and Marie pay to two particular students, and what Stein is doing in this fic, but please try to bear with me and keep in mind this was not meant to be that realistic.**

**Thanks to emmakeehl8 for editing.**

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"All right, all right, settle down." The silver-haired meister called as he walked into his classroom, followed by the anxious-looking blond weapon. The man walked up to his desk and immediately sat backward in his rolling chair. He felt the eyes of the students upon him, but he ignored them, instead pushing up his rounds glasses with one finger. He picked up the roll call and cranked the screw on the side of his head.

"I am Doctor Stein, and this is Miss Marie. We share this class, and even though she runs a looser ship than I do, you will not be slacking. Do I make myself clear?"

There were murmurs of, "Yes, Doctor Stein" or just head nods.

Marie glared at her colleague, but then faced forward again as he began to call roll.

"Jake Buhansen?"

"Here!"

"Kate Yamahiko?"

"Here."

He went on and on in a monotone voice before he reached a particular name on the list that made him shift slightly. Charlotte Williams. She was fairly annoying and loud, but was the top of her class last year. Come to think of it, he didn't hear her voice chattering away. Maybe she was absent.

"Charlotte Williams?"

A barely heard "Present" came from somewhere in the classroom.

Stein looked up and located the source of where he though the voice came from.

He searched for a girl with long, shining blond hair and bright clothes, sitting ramrod straight.

His eyes passed over many girls before he switched back to a girl sitting slightly slouched in her chair. She had short, choppy black hair and was dressed all in black, but she had Charlotte's eyes.

Stein allowed himself to stare for a few more seconds before looking back down at his roll. He continued for a few more minutes, then placed it on his desk.

"Miss Marie will be taking this lesson. Pay attention."

He rolled backward to be able to scoot closer to his desk, while Marie stepped forward and instructed the class to open their books.

Stein ran a hand through his hair. Hmph. She'd certainly changed a lot. He wondered what had happened to her over the summer to change her from a bright, bubbly student to one so quiet, dark, and reserved. He tried to remember a boyfriend, or news of parents' deaths, but nothing came to mind.

"Please bring this back to me tomorrow!" Marie's cheery voice sounded as she passed out a paper to the students. He watched Charlotte shove it inside her bag. He noticed Marie was looking at her, too, but none of the students seem to be looking.

Stein wondered if the girl would be the top of her class this year, too, or if the change in appearance had brought a change in academics as well.

The bell sounded, and the students filed out, chattering and shouting.

Charlotte, swept up in the middle of the crowd, left without a word.

Marie immediately turned to Stein with a worried expression.

"Did you-"

"Yes, I saw her." He interrupted, running a hand through his silver hair. He cranked his screw.

"I wonder what happened. She was such a bubbly one, too. I suppose some other students did change quite a bit as well…" Marie mused as she packed up her lesson plans. "Well, see you tomorrow, Franken!"

Stein absentmindedly waved a hand as the Deathscythe swept out the door.

He gave a long sigh as he packed up his own things. Today was easy, he had nothing to grade. Tomorrow would be simple, too.

After about half an hour dawdling, Stein rolled out of his room. He remembered to put the chair back, and as he was locking the door to his classroom, Stein saw a student's bag disappear around the corner.

Technically, there was no time limit when students had to be off campus, but it was not recommended to stay on campus long.

He had to go that way anyway, why not have a little fun terrorizing a newbie?

A grin spread across his face, and he started to walk, only to have his name called sharply.

"Stein!"

Stein turned around, smile lessening a little, to see the red-haired Deathscythe. "Spirit." He said calmly.

"What are you grinning about?" Spirit asked nervously, edging a little further behind the lockers.

"Oh, nothing." Stein said and waved a hand as he began to walk again. "Goodbye, Spirit."

Poor Spirit was torn between protecting himself and going after his colleague, but self-survival instincts won.

Stein strode through the empty hallways and finally turned the corner to the final hallway before exiting the DWMA.

He saw a black-haired student walking slowly in front of him. It was Charlotte.

Stein didn't call out, but she turned around sharply and saw him anyway. They met eyes, his green ones with her blue ones.

He grinned at her.

She did not smile back, instead turned around and began walking faster.

Stein cocked his head and watched her quickly descend the steps. He saw a boy on a motorcycle screech to a stop on the side of the street. Charlotte ignored him and just turned right.

"Hey, Charlotte!" The boy called, removing his helmet to reveal a full head of dark purple and black hair. "You know, I'm here to give you a ride. Didn't drive all this way for nothing."

"Thanks, but I'll walk."

"Oh, come on!"

"Goodbye, Rim."

The motorcycle slowly moved forward, following the boy's partner.

"Don't get home late again, kay? I'm getting pizza. Isn't that your favorite?"

"It used to be." Came the short reply.

The boy stopped his motorcycle. He stared after his retreating meister with a sad expression and then turned and drove his motorcycle away.

Stein watched Charlotte go. He crossed the street and began the walk home.

When he arrived at his laboratory, he dropped his bag on his desk and shrugged off his lab coat onto his chair. Walking to the kitchen, he opened the fridge before staring bleakly into it. Nothing seemed appealing, so he shut the door and went to sit down on the couch.

Eventually, he dug up some cookies Marie had made for him a while ago, and munched on the few left in the tin while checking the past summer's news on his computer.

A phone's ringing broke the silence. Stein looked around. He had a phone?

He saw one under a pile of papers, so he grabbed it.

"Hello?"

"Stein? Hi, it's Marie. I just sent you an email and I really think you should look at it!"

"All right, Marie, calm down."

"Just hurry! It's important!"

Stein went to his email and found the single message in his inbox.

He clicked on it.

A picture of Death the Kid as a baby filled the screen. He rolled his eyes.

"Marie…"

"ISN'T HE SO ADORABLE? LORD DEATH WAS JUST SHOWING ME THIS AND I ABSOLUTELY HAD TO SEND IT TO YOU, SPIRIT AND I WERE SO AMAZED, I MEAN LOOK HOW CU-"

Stein held the phone away from his ear and winced. He closed the email and rested his elbow on the table.

"Speaking of which, I heard Maka and Soul are coming back to Shibusen for a little visit in a few months or so. Won't it be fun to see them?"

"I guess."

"Oh come _on¸ _Stein, it'll be fun!"

"Yeah, sure."

"Oh, whatever! You're so grumpy at night! Okay, see you tomorrow!"

The phone beeped and Stein set it down with a sigh.

With a stretch that made his back pop, he got up and decided to retire for the evening.

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The next day, Stein and Marie came into class as usual to find the students chattering loudly.

"Shut it!" Stein called loudly, and everyone turned to the front. He sat down on his chair as Marie stepped forward. "Pass your homework to the front, please." She called, and waited patiently as the papers made their way down towards her.

She delivered the stack to Stein's desk and then stepped back forward. "I want us all to get to know each other today, okay? Students, please come down with your partners."

There was general groaning as the class made its way down to the center of the classroom and got into their weapon and meister pairs.

At Marie's instruction, the pair closest to the door introduced themselves, and the introductions went around the room, finally reaching Charlotte and Rim. Stein raised his head.

"Rim Shakre, blade weapon."

"Charlotte Williams, meister."

"Thank you." Marie said gently. "Next?"

When introductions were finished, class was over. The bell rang and with the usual murmurs and chatter, Marie and Stein's students filed out.

Marie glanced at Stein with a pointed look.

He turned to look at her, exasperated. "What, Marie? What do you want me to do?" He threw his hands up in the air.

"I was just thinking maybe you could talk to her, or…"

"About what?"

"What's bothering her."

"Marie, you don't know if something is bothering her. Maybe she just wanted a change of wardrobe or something. Plus, aren't you the one who connects with the students?"

"But she's not acting like herself!" Marie protested. "And she was the top of your class! Yes, you called her annoying, but even I, Franken, could tell you liked her."

With that, Stein cranked his screw backwards a few times and then bent down to pack up his briefcase. His glance landed on Rim's homework.

"Who is Charlotte's new weapon, anyway?" he asked.

"Stein!" Marie reprimanded him sharply. "He's not _new,_ he's been her weapon for three years!"

"My mistake." Stein responded calmly. "Did he need a change in hair color as well?"

"No, it's always been like that!"

"Ah."

"He's a sweet boy. Always reading, reminds me of Maka Albarn."

"Hmm."

"He's very protective of her as well, but I can hear him complaining how he never gets noticed by girls except for his meister. I _personally_ am confident in the fact that he's in love with her. Yes, always reading, always offering her pizza after school and rides home on his motorcycle…"

Stein turned to Marie. "You know that's students' gossip, right, Marie?"

"Well…a lot of students talk to me, and I…I hear things!"

"Mmm."

Stein finished packing and waved a hand in farewell to a spluttering Marie. He walked down the hallways, deep in thought.

"_Maybe I should talk to her. She does seem to be bothered by something…"_

"Speak of the devil." He muttered as he rounded a corner and saw Charlotte fiddling with the combination on her locker, next to a water fountain.

"Ah, Charlotte!" he called. "Just the student I wanted to see."

She turned to glance at him briefly and then opened her locker. Stein continued to advance. He kept walking, watching her as she removed books and notebooks from her locker.

He stopped a few feet before her.

"I think we need to have a talk, Charlotte."

He noticed her muscles tense up briefly, and she responded while keeping her eyes on her closing locker.

"I haven't done anything, Professor."

Her voice was cold with a hint of accusation.

He gave a light laugh. "I didn't say you did. I was just wondering…everything okay lately?"

She turned to look at him, one arm holding the strap of her black shoulder bag.

"Everything is fine." She responded.

"Anything you want to talk about?"

"No thank you." Charlotte said, shifting her bag.

He paused for a minute, studying her. She stared right on back, daring him to ask again.

"Would you rather talk to Miss Marie than me?"

"No, Professor."

It was just then she realized she'd walked right into a trap.

"Great!" Stein said pleasantly, rubbing his hands together. "Then you won't mind staying after class tomorrow to tell _me_ what's wrong."

He turned and strolled away. He heard pounding footsteps and turned around to see Rim holding his knees and panting.

"There you are, Charlotte! I was looking all over for you! Come on, I'll give you a ride home. I'm making pasta tonight!"

He heard the quiet footsteps of Charlotte recede along with Rim's loud ones.

"Oh, uh…see ya, Professor!" Rim called just before he and his meister disappeared down the steps.

Stein shook his head and continued on his way.

Perhaps Marie was right. Maybe she would tell him, and he would get his old honors student back.

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**A/N: I hope you liked it! I'm wondering if it's too confusing, or too much information for one chapter, but I promise I'll try and explain everything eventually. Please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Scarred**

**A/N: Here's another chapter! Thanks to emmakeehl8 for editing and Kibalover1998 for reviewing. **

**The *blank* in Stein and Charlotte is progressing, slowly but surely. **

**I don't own Soul Eater.**

**Enjoy, and don't forget to review!**

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"I think you're wasting your time, Professor." Charlotte spoke in a low voice, staring down at her hands. She sat in a wooden chair across from her teacher, refusing to meet his eyes.

"Yes, you've said that already." Stein grumbled. "Unfortunately, I don't agree with you."

"I apologize, Professor. But, like I said, I am not afflicted with anything."

"What's with the change in wardrobe, then?" Stein asked, pointing to her clothes while leaning forward.

"I wanted a change in color." She answered.

Stein sighed. It was like she had rehearsed this. He could find no flaws in her perfect answers except for that exact reason. They were too perfect. Too unnatural.

"Mmm. You've changed a lot from what I remember."

She did not answer, but he saw her eyes glint from beneath her messily cut hair.

"Charlotte, how far along are you in turning Rim into a Deathscythe?" Stein asked suddenly.

"Where everyone else is, Professor. Around the late thirties."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, Professor."

"Have you been on any…other missions lately?"

"No, Professor."

He stared at her forehead where the brief illusion of a third eye had appeared a few minutes ago. It didn't concern him. He was still recovering from Asura, and there was no way a student could be a pre-kishin. It was ridiculous.

He cranked his screw.

"So everything is fine, huh? That's what you're saying."

"Yes, Professor."

Just then, there was a knock on the door, and Stein sensed two students outside the door. "Come in." he called.

"Uh, Doctor Stein? I lost my homework." One said, and the other nodded quickly. Stein pointed to a stack of papers by the door, and they took two, but stood, staring at Charlotte.

"What are you waiting for? Get out!" Stein snapped. The boys scurried out with a slam of the door.

Stein turned his attention back to Charlotte.

She was staring at him with a fierce gaze, and yet there was something inside her eyes that was so broken, so trapped.

"Is there something you want to tell me?" Stein asked as gently as he could.

Charlotte opened her mouth, but suddenly something in her snapped and she rose quickly.

"Is that all, Professor?" she asked briskly.

"If you think it is." Stein answered, scanning her being from head to toe.

She turned and walked out the door. Stein sat on his chair for five minutes before there was a knock on his door.

"Come in, Rim." Stein called, and Charlotte's nervous weapon walked in.

"Did she see you?"

"No, Professor."

"Very well. Have a seat."

Rim sat.

"Tell me about what's changed in your meister."

"Well, um…she's a lot different than last summer, for starters. I already told Miss Marie all this, but…it started when she went to the movies with some friends. She left real early in the morning, and came back really late. When she came back, I thought some strange girl was breaking into our apartment, I didn't recognize her. She was dressed all in black, her hair was cut off and dyed black, and she wasn't acting like herself."

"Go on, Rim."

"I asked her what was wrong, and she said everything was fine. I said where did your clothes go, she said I bought new ones. I asked her what happened to her hair, she said I changed it. She was like a totally different person. She was kind of ruffled-looking, and her pockets were turned inside out, no phone or anything, so I asked her if she'd been mugged. She said no, she just tripped and everything went down a drain. I called one of her friends that she went with and they said that Charlotte was in the theater with them the whole time, and when she left, she was acting a little weird, but still blond and pink and everything. She doesn't like pizza anymore, and only sleeps with her light on. I don't know what's going on, Professor."

"Can you still resonate?" Stein asked.

"I'm not really sure, we haven't had to or tried in a while."

"All right. Thank you, Rim, and if anything else changes please let me or Marie know."

"Can do, Professor." Rim said, and stood up, grabbing his bag. He walked a few steps before stopping to turn around.

"Do you know what's happening, Professor?"

"I'm afraid I don't."

"Oh." Rim answered, a little sadly.

"Okay. Um…I'll guess I'll be going, then." He said, scratched his head and trudged out the door.

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"Hey, Franken?" Marie asked, poking her head around the door of their classroom.

Stein's head snapped up. He was breathing heavily.

"Are you all right?" Marie called over to him. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"What is it?" he said abruptly.

She looked a little taken aback, but straightened herself.

"I was wondering if you wanted to come down to the basketball court with us. You know, where Maka and her friends used to play? There's a game down there with a large group of our students, and they wanted us to play with them. Isn't that nice?" Marie beamed.

"I'll watch." Stein answered, dragging himself off his chair.

"Think about it." Marie said lightly, and waited until he was behind her before continuing her trip down the hallway. They met with Azusa, Spirit, Naigus, and Sid. Stein had to admit, if they were all as young as their students, it would be like old times, all of them going to play basketball. Except Kami wasn't there to make the team even.

Azusa pushed her glasses up and then turned briskly on her heel to lead the group outside.

Stein fell into step beside Naigus.

"Why exactly are we leaving our comfortable offices to-"

"Oh, come on, Stein." Naigus chided. "The exercise will be fun."

Stein rolled his eyes.

"How many students are there?" he asked his fellow doctor.

She scratched a bandage around her arm. "I'm not sure, but they won't be putting us all on one team." She said.

Stein had a sudden vision of himself launching into the air and blasting his soul wavelength at students, causing them to release the basketball, and him doing a slam dunk while the students lay curled up on the court.

"I'll watch." He repeated.

"We'll see." Naigus said. "You'd be surprised how much the kids who aren't traumatized by you will want you on their team."

"Hmph." Stein responded.

Naigus punched him lightly in the arm and jogged forwards to talk to Sid.

When the group of teachers reached the basketball court, they saw six students playing a game on the court. To his great surprise, Stein saw Charlotte viciously slamming the ball into the hoop after running down the court at full speed.

She turned with her fellow classmates to watch the approach of the teachers, breathing hard. She held the basketball against her hip with one arm and wiped some sweat off her forehead.

Stein suddenly remembered the day with Marie and Spirit when they'd been watching Maka, Kid, Soul, Liz, Patty, Black*Star, and Tsubaki play .

Besides Charlotte, Rim was there, along with a brown haired-girl, two blond boys, and a boy with green hair. Stein recognized the girl to be one of Charlotte's friends that had obviously stuck with her from last year. Kate, he remembered.

The green haired boy reminded him of a mini-Spirit. He even had something close to his hairstyle, too. His name was Tate or something.

The blond haired boy with the blue eyes and cheek scar, Tyler, was partnered with Kate. The other boy's name was Alex, and he was pretty quiet, but had a nasty habit of forgetting to set his alarm clock.

"Shall we do you guys versus us first?" Tyler asked, scratching the back of his head while sporting a grin.

"Fine by us." Marie called back cheerfully.

The students went into a huddle, and Alex, who wasn't terribly good at basketball, decided to sit out.

"Stein, restrain yourself." Spirit said nervously after he saw his old meister cracking his knuckles.

Stein only pulled off his lab coat and tossed it onto a bench. "Of course, senpai." He replied, grinning at Spirit.

Spirit gulped. Marie, who'd changed into pants instead of a skirt, rolled her eyes. "He's on our team, Spirit."

Before Spirit could start ranting, Tate launched the ball at Sid, who passed it back, and then the game began.

Both teams had advantages and disadvantages. The students had Charlotte, Tate, and the ability to move in ways that the teacher could not. However, it was a little hard to get around their fear of crossing Stein or passing Sid.

Within a few minutes, Charlotte had shot under Stein's arm, dove around Marie's body, accepted the ball from Kate, and scored a point. She turned around and made eye contact with Stein, as if to say, _Beat that._

She jogged casually back down the court and passed the ball to Rim. The game started again, but it soon became clear the real game was between Stein, Charlotte, Sid, and Tate.

Then it narrowed down to Stein and Charlotte.

The advantage was that Charlotte wasn't scared of Stein. At least that's what they both thought, until the split second when Charlotte ducked under his outstretched arm and glanced up. Stein saw a small spark of fear in her eyes, and Stein smiled.

It started to become a full out battle, with players reeling back on both sides from the force of the passes they were receiving from Stein and Charlotte.

When Charlotte attempted to swerve around Stein, Sid swiped the ball and passed it to Azusa. Azusa ran towards the opposite end of the court, but Rim made a move to grab the ball.

"BACK OFF, DAMMIT!" She screeched.

"Um, Yumi? I think you need to calm down." Naigus advised.

"Oh. Yes. Sorry." Azusa said, pushing up her glasses after the ball dropped through the basket.z

Rim called a break out of concern for his meister when he saw her sweating buckets, panting, and looking a little pale.

"Good job, you guys!" Kate said encouragingly, coming from the sidelines, where she'd been subbing out.

"Thanks." Alex said, wiping his forehead. "I don't know how much longer I can keep this up, though."

"What's the score?" Tyler asked.

"Thirty even." Rim answered.

"Game point?" Tate suggested, exhausted, his bare chest glistening with sweat.. He was not the only boy who'd shed his shirt. The discarded clothes sat on the sidelines, with Kate slowly edging down the bench away from them.

Charlotte was now playing without shoes, as she said it made her move faster, and apparently it did.

"Okay, game point, you guys. Who wants to sub out?"

"Charlotte will." Rim supplied. Tate looked at him like he'd grown a second head.

"Are you crazy?" he spluttered. "She's our best player!"

"She's exhausted!" Rim shouted back.

"It's fine." Charlotte spoke, wiping her forehead again. She took a drink from her water bottle.

"If you say so…" Kate joined in.

"I'm fine."

When everyone went back onto the court, deciding on a game point, Charlotte glanced at Stein. He was watching her. He stubbed his cigarette with the heel of his shoe and walked to stand near her.

"Game point!" Marie called, as Spirit stole the ball and the game began.

It was a fast-paced game, each team determined to win. Unfortunately, they never found out.

Charlotte accepted the pass from Tate and was about to pass it back when she felt that horrible cold breath again, breathing on her neck.

She stopped short and then turned. She dropped the ball, disorientated, and tripped over it.

Charlotte crashed to the ground with a loud, pain-filled scream.

Her jaw, shoulder, arm, knee, and toes smashed into the hard asphalt.

"HOLY SHIT! CHARLOTTE!" Kate shrieked at the top of her lungs, but was beat to her friend's side by Rim.

A horrible, unearthly sound was filling the air as Charlotte continued to scream. As her teammates ran over, Spirit tripped over Alex. He hit the ground and was about to launch into a long rant of swearwords when Azusa clapped a hand over his mouth.

"Don't bite your tongue off, either." She said sternly. "Take it like a man!"

"Owwww…" Spirit moaned, sinking to the ground and holding his knee.

"I think we're done for today." Naigus said briskly, ordering Rim to pick his injured meister up. "Tate and Tyler, come with me." She commanded. "You'll carry Charlotte when Rim gets tired."

Alex and his poor scrawny self were left behind.

"I'm not carrying you, Spirit."

"What? I wasn't asking you to!" he shouted, getting up…not very gracefully.

"Mmm. Well, I'm going to help Mira, I'll see you when you manage to hobble over there." Stein replied, fetching his coat and walking behind Naigus's retreating figure.

Naigus fell back to talk to him.

"Stein." She said in a cold voice. He looked at her, surprised.

"Did you make her fall?" she accused, pointing at him.

"Why the hell would I do that?" he asked angrily.

Naigus didn't answer.

"I swear, I didn't do anything."

"And you won't, helping me patch her up."

"Of course."

She looked at him one last time before watching Rim hand Charlotte over to Tate.

"That was strange, how she fell. It was almost like someone said something behind her."

"I know. Maybe she thought she heard something."

"Maybe…"

Stein watched Charlotte, and when she opened her foggy eyes to stare at him, he stared back.

There was fear in her stare, but also defiance, and Stein had a feeling she was taunting him, telling him that she'd never tell him why she fell.

She smiled at him once more with eyes that were not hers, and then her head fell to the left again.

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**Poor Spirit! And poor Charlotte…soon you will find out why she fell and why the last sentence was written the way it was.**

**But yes, something is progressing in Stein and Charlotte. Not romance, you freaks! **

**Please review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Scarred**

**A/N: I apologize if Spirit is OOC, but just think of how he acted when Stein was going mad. He's serious for the sake of the story, so please bear with me.**

**There are so many things I need to buy(well, not really _need_, if you want to get technical, more like _want_) and I'm trying to fit in odd jobs and babysitting to make the money I need for them!**

**For this one cosplay I'm doing, I'm wearing a facemask, and I can sit back with satisfaction because I don't have to get special makeup since my face will be covered. Mua haha!**

**Yeah...you probably didn't care. Oh well. Enjoy!**

**I don't own Soul Eater. Thanks to emmakeehl8 for editing.**

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Stein shut himself in the bathroom and gripped the edges of the white sink, staring into the mirror.

_What the hell is wrong with me?_ He thought.

The madness couldn't be coming back. It was impossible. They'd taken extra precautions this time to ensure there was no arising kishin or anything else that sparked madness.

And yet the old noise in his head was coming back, he felt hot to the touch, and he wanted to tear things apart.

There was a small knock on the door, and it opened.

"Stein?" Marie asked. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." He said, turning around to face her.

Her golden eye kept his green ones for a few extra seconds.

"All right. I'll be out here with Naigus."

She gently closed the door.

Stein imagined the mirror broken, his face like a kishin's, his hand bloody. All like it had been years ago.

Why was it coming back now?

The silver-haired meister pushed up his glasses. It was time for some research.

-o-o-o

The grinning moon's light found its way through a circular window in the DWMA's library, focusing on a single meister, bent over a stack of books.

Stein roughly ran a hand through his hair for the millionth time. He rubbed the bridge of his nose, blinked hard, and returned to his reading.

He felt his body giving in to the urges of sleep, against his mind's will. As he slumped over the dusty book, his gaze focused on a single paragraph.

…_are especially prone to possession. It is unknown how the evil body forcefully enters the subject. The subject has been recorded to have many different habits upon possession. The subject may attack former friends. The longer the possessor is inside the subject, the stronger the connection becomes, and the madness increases. When the possessor has regained enough strength from the original destroyed form(possession is common as a form of evil rebirth), there are many different outcomes. If the mind is not strong enough, the host may explode or be completely taken by madness. The host may try to attack others or itself. The most fatal outcome is a total rebirth of the possessor, resulting in a combustion of the host body after an unknown period of time. Report people thought to be possessed immediately. They are a danger to others, but mainly to themselves…_

_-o-o-o_

Stein moved through his day with a blank face and neutral thoughts. At one point, he sat down at his desk while his students worked and scratched his head in confusion. He knew he went to research last night, but there was one small problem.

He couldn't remember what he read.

"Damn it." He muttered. Marie turned around, and a few students looked up.

"Franken? Is everything all right?" Marie asked in concern, walking over to his chair.

"I'm fine." The meister replied. "Just tired."

She eyed him with suspicion. "How late did you come back?"

"I fell asleep in the library."

"So you didn't have breakfast?"

"I had some coffee."

"Go, Stein. You shouldn't teach on an empty stomach."

"Marie-"

"Go! You look famished."

Stein actually wasn't that hungry at all, but hey, he had an excuse to leave his class full of little shits.

When he got home, he turned on the shower and munched on some toast.

He pulled his shirt off and touched a red mark on the side of his torso from the book he fell asleep on.

"I'm turning into a wreck." The meister remarked to himself in the mirror, and stepped into the shower.

-o-o0

"Ow." Stein murmured, hazy from the steam in the shower. There was an annoying pain in his arm that wouldn't go away, and it seemed to intensify by the minute.

He glanced down and saw blood swirling down the drain.

At first, he disregarded it as an illusion, but the he saw the gleaming scalpel in his hand, carving a red line down his arm.

"Shit!" Stein jumped and dropped the scalpel on the floor of the shower. The pain skyrocketed now that he noticed where it was coming from. He grabbed his arm and jumped out of the shower.

After he'd managed to turn off the water and get clothes on, he wrapped up his injured arm, clenching his fist repeatedly against the pain.

When he was done, Stein's head dropped into his hands.

"What the hell is wrong with me?" he asked himself.

Suddenly, he felt the strange urge to laugh. The corners of his mouth twitched up, and the doctor let out a chuckle. He then started to full-out shriek in laughter.

"Stein?"

"Spirit." Stein answered coolly, masking his emotions in a second.

"Is everything okay? I heard Marie told you to come back here…"

"That's right."

"Yeah…um…"

Stein offered no intrusion on the awkward moment.

"So everything's good, then?"

Stein opened his mouth to answer, but something in Spirit's expression made him hesitate.

It was fear and suspicion.

Spirit _knew._

He knew that something was wrong with Stein.

If Stein said he was fine, it would just be even more suspicious.

Stein closed his mouth.

"I'm a little under the weather today."

"Ah." Spirit shifted his weight.

"And what about you, senpai?" Stein asked suddenly, accusingly, with a unexplained venom that made Spirit back up.

"You're not acting like yourself lately. Something _wrong_?"

"Everything's fine, Stein." Spirit answered with fear in his eyes. "I'm just coming to check on you."

Spirit hesitated, and then turned to leave.

There was a sensation coiling inside the silver-haired doctor. He wanted to stop Spirit from leaving, make sure he never got to Lord Death, he wanted to choke the life out of him, close his scarred hands around his throat…

"Go." Stein said sharply, jerking his head. His fingers were curling, twitching, eager to grasp that oh-so-close neck…

Spirit turned in surprise.

"Sti-"

"Just go, damn it!"

Spirit hurried out of his friend's home, and as he passed the iron gates, he slipped his cell phone out of his pocket.

-o-o-o

"That's what I've been trying to tell you! We can't just sit here and act like nothing is wrong, because if we continue doing it, someone's going to end up dead!"

The red-haired Deathscythe's voice cut shrilly though the air.

"Don't say such a thing, Albarn."

"It's the truth." Spirit responded quietly, turning around to continue pacing down the empty alley.

"And just what do you propose we do now?"

"Like I keep saying, there's something going on with that girl, too. We should check her out first. After all, she's someone we can order around."

"True. Are you planning to visit tonight?"

"Yeah, since it's not that late. I've been planning to start making regular calls on the both of them."

"All right, Albarn. Let me know how everything goes."

"Can do, Yumi."

"And Albarn?"

"Yeah?"

"Just…be careful, okay?"

"I'm rolling my eyes right now."

-o-o-o

"Hey, Charlotte?"

"Yes?"

"I've…been meaning to talk to you about something."

"What is it?"

"Why was there glass in the trash can?"

Charlotte wiped her mouth with her napkin.

"I dropped a hand mirror."

"Did you cut yourself or something? It looked like there was a little blood on it."

"Just a little."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

Rim put down his fork. "Okay, then."

Charlotte sat in the silence while Rim shifted uncomfortably.

"You know…if there's ever anything-"

"_We've already had this conversation, Rim."_ Charlotte spat.

Rim felt himself shrinking, but he picked up his backbone.

"I wouldn't keep bringing it up if I thought there was stuff you weren't telling me!"

"Do you expect to know everything about my life? Would you like to know how many pencils I bought for school last month? My brand of toothpaste?"

"That's not what I'm asking." Rim said gently. "There just seems to be stuff bothering you and all."

"THERE'S NOT ANYTHING WRONG WITH ME!"

Her voice rising in a shrill scream, Charlotte launched herself across the table and made a grab for Rim.

Her partner quickly scooted back in his chair, fear coursing through his body. He managed to get up and escape the kitchen. To the door, to the door-

He wrenched open the door to see a red-haired Deathscythe, one hand raised to knock, his face a display of mild shock.

"Good evening, Rim." He said pleasantly. "How's everything going?"

His eyes traveled over the shoulder of the flustered weapon to see Charlotte standing in the background, half of her body hidden in shadow.

"Just…just fine, Mr. Albarn. Want to come in?"

"Thanks, kid." Spirit said, ruffling his hair as he passed. He stepped into the kitchen and froze.

Food and broken dishes were strewn everywhere underneath an overturned table and chairs.

"Oh, sorry about this!" Rim said quickly, stepping in front of the scene. "We just had a little accident…with…a stray cat!"

_This kid's a horrible liar_, Spirit thought grimly.

"Would you like some tea?"

Charlotte had appeared in the kitchen, and without waiting for Spirit's answer, began quietly making tea, calmly stepping over broken dishes.

Rim watched her warily and then turned to Spirit.

"What can we do for you?"

"I'm actually here to chec-talk to Charlotte." Spirit corrected himself hastily, and ran a hand through his hair with a smile.

"Here's your tea." Charlotte said monotonously. "Shall we talk in the living room?"

"You sound as if you were expecting me." The Deathscythe said with a light laugh.

"I was." Came the cold answer.

The grin was wiped straight off Spirit's face. _If she already knows why I'm here, no need to play nice anymore._

Spirit put the tea down and leaned forward.

"How have you been lately? Feeling all right? How are you right now? Not too _dark_ in here for you?"

Charlotte's hand twitched ever so slightly, but Spirit saw it.

"There's no need to be nervous, I'm only trying to help. We think there might be something going around, something serious, and we need your help."

"Did you talk to Professor Stein, too?" Charlotte asked, her head jerking up to stare at Spirit.

"I'm afraid that's none of your business."

In the background, Rim continued washing dishes.

"Charlotte…I can help you with this." Spirit said gently, and as he'd so desperately hoped, he could almost hear the _click_ inside of the girl's head.

"I have been feeling a little strange lately." She admitted, looking at her feet.

"I have the strangest urges to drown my goldfish in the toilet. I want to poison the stray cat's food that lives a block away. I want to throw my pencil at the back of his head when he talks too loudly in class for me to study…"

Spirit could feel himself sweating. He had the urge to scratch his head, and it wouldn't go away even after he kept scratching it. _More than I asked for, more than I wanted to unleash…_

"People annoy me much more."

Something was boring into his skull, something that made the girl's voice host something evil, unhuman…_It's too much, too much…_

A persuasive voice was nagging at him to stay a while, close his eyes…that itch in his head was so annoying…_It's so cold in here…_

"Mr. Albarn!"

Both couch occupants' heads snapped towards Rim.

"If you wouldn't mind, it's getting late, I think we should go to bed. We have school tomorrow."

"Ah…yes. I should be going as well. Thank you, Charlotte."

Spirit stood up.

"I'll see you both tomorrow."

Rim closed the door after him and stayed a few more unnecessary seconds before turning regretfully away.


	4. Chapter 4

**Scarred**

**A/N: Not much to say, except that I made a lot of friends on Instagram from Soul Eater XD**

**Hi, Stein, Marie, Soul, Maka, Black*Star, Tsubaki, Kid, Liz, Patty, Spirit, Medusa, Blair, and Crona! Love you all! :D**

**And thank you, Stein, for the wonderful review 3 it meant a lot :D**

**I don't own Soul Eater. Thanks to emmakeehl8 for editing. **

**Please see the note at the bottom, it's very important.**

**-0-0-0-0-0-000-0-0-0-0-0-0—0-0-0—0-0-0-0-0000—0—00-0-0-0—00—0-0-0-0—0-0-0**

Spirit walked alone down the empty halls of the DWMA, clothes rumpled and hair untidy. He'd spent all night at Azusa's.

For the second time in his life, he was dead serious.

The first time had only been years ago, when Asura was still around. He'd been in charge of watching Medusa when she was in the custody of the DWMA, and he'd also had to watch Stein.

He needed to talk to Lord Death.

Azusa, so far, was the only one he trusted with the secret of what was really going on. Marie would worry and probably make it so obvious she was checking up on Stein and Charlotte. Naigus had been on a mission with Sid.

Spirit made sure someone was there when someone got hurt, because that would mean they'd be all alone with Stein, since Naigus wasn't there.

Once it was one of the kids he'd played basketball with, and when the kid asked him why he was standing there, Spirit didn't answer, just escorted him back to class.

Spirit's shoes clacked down the halls.

He wasn't supposed to be like this. Where was his old self? He didn't feel the need to run to Chupra Cabra's every night like he used to, instead he actually concentrated on helping Azusa figure what the hell to do.

Spirit didn't like to admit it, but he did care for Stein. And Charlotte, too, because she was a student. A simple student, with something very wrong with her...

And Rim, poor Rim, Spirit almost didn't want to leave him with Charlotte. But there was no other way to help them but act like nothing was wrong.

Spirit had watched Rim walk down the halls that morning, mixed in the crowd of students, with his eyes downcast.

Tomorrow, they had a Soul Resonance class, Spirit knew that. He'd make sure he was present. It would be interesting to see how Charlotte and Rim would do. Would they even be able to resonate, or maybe Charlotte would burn her hands. Spirit wondered what he'd do. He knew Stein actually had interrogated Charlotte, for she seemed to be affected earlier, but he seemed to not notice anymore, now that he was being affected too.

Azusa had said that she'd be there too, and wait for him near the Death Room today, so they could tell Lord Death together.

Finally, Spirit reached the Death Room. Azusa was standing ramrod straight next to the door, her eyes fixed on him as he approached.

She took in his disheveled appearance without expression, and bent her head slighty in acknowledgement. Her glasses flashed.

"Albarn."

"Hey. You ready?"

"Quite."

Azusa opened the door and the two walked side by side under the guillotines, completely silent. Their shoes clacked on the floor, and Spirit ran a hand through his hair wearily, his other hand jammed in his jacket pocket.

Azusa glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.

"Did you sleep at all, Albarn?"

"Nah. I wasn't tired."

He imagined her rolling her eyes.

-o-o-oo-o-oo-o

Lord Death was waiting for them.

He stood in front of his mirror, motionless.

"Lord Death." Azusa and Spirit said in unison, bowing.

"Come on in!" Lord Death said cheerily, waving one of his oversized hands at the two DeathScythes.

Spirit and Azusa walked forward until they were in front of him.

"Welcome, welcome! Now what is it that I can help you two with?"

Azusa and Spirit glanced at each other, and Azusa gave a slight nod of her head.

Spirit took a step forward.

"We have reason to believe there is a source of madness brewing. Stein is acting like he did when he was possesed by Medusa, and a...student is showing similar signs."

Azusa pushed up her glasses."We've checked up on and monitored the condition of this student and Stein, and it hasn't been going very well."

Lord Death was silent for a moment.

"Does anyone else know about this?"

"No, sir. Except for maybe this student's weapon partner, we think he may be on track to figuring it out." Azusa answered.

"Who are these students?"

"Rim Shakre and Charlotte Williams. Charlotte...she's the one showing signs of madness."

"She was showing signs before Stein." Azusa added. "There are visible changes from the madness, in appearance, that are at a large degree."

There was a slight decline to Lord Death's mask as he thought it over.

"Well." he said finally, his voice slightly less cheery than usual, "Have you contacted the other Death Scythes to be on alert?"

Spirit looked at Azusa again.

"No, sir." Azusa said finally.

"Us three are the only ones who know. And...possibly, Shakre, Williams, and Stein."

Lord Death raised his head and clapped his hands together.

"It is possible that signs of madness can show before the actual cause can even surface. Alert the other Death Scythes and tell them to be on alert!"

"Yes, Lord Death." Spirit bowed. "Um, should we tell Marie?"

"Why wouldn't we?" Lord Death asked, puzzled.

"Well-" Azusa started.

"She's really protective over Stein, and Charlotte too, so she might...um...give away what we're trying to do."

"Oh, that!" Lord Death said cheerfully. "No, let her know."

Azusa and Spirit bowed, understanding that they were dismissed.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

They walked down the halls, side by side, until they reached Stein's classroom.

"I can tell her over coffee." Azusa said, her glashes flashing as she pushed them up.

"Right."

But Spirit still stood, hands in his pockets.

Suddenly, the bell rang, and the door was shoved open by a mass of kids.

The two DeathScythes jumped out of the way and let the flood of students pass. When it dimmed down to where they could actually enter the classroom, they entered, their shoes clacking on the floor.

Stein was no where in sight. Marie hadn't been teaching that day, anyway. In the tier of benches, there were only a few students left.

Rim and Charlotte were included.

The weapon dutifully waited for his meister while she packed up her book bag.

As Spirit and Azusa walked in, the students both glanced at them. Rim raised a hand to give a small wave to Spirit, who gave a grin and a friendly nod in return.

After scanning the classroom, and possibly looking like idiots for just standing there, Spirit spoke.

"Hey, Rim. Where's Stein?"

To his great surprise, Rim pointed behind him, and Spirit and Azusa whirled around.

Indeed, there was a long, thin trail of smoke coming from the corner, where Stein was hid in shadow.

"Why don't you head out, kids." Spirit said in a low voice, watching Stein.

"I am actually due to speak with him today." Charlotte replied in a cold voice.

"It can wait." Azusa said sharply.

"No, no, I believe it's rather important." Stein said, a smirk in his voice.

He shot across the room on his chair, and Spirit had to jump out of the way.

"Let's go, Charlotte." Stein said, and the girl descended the stairs to walk beside her teacher as they proceeded down the hallway.

"Charlotte!" the black-haired weapon shouted, ignoring the stairs and jumping off the benches, almost breaking an ankle. He went to run down the hall after them, but instead of Charlotte, it was Stein who turned around. Azusa and Spirit watched as Rim turned around and walked back over to them, his face white.

Spirit had to pull out a chair for him, and Rim put his face in his hands.

"Holy shit..." Rim muttered.

"He's scary as hell."

-o-o-o-o-o

After Spirit and Azusa had talked to Rim for a little bit, they told him he should go with them to Stein's.

"It's a little late to still be there." Spirit had said. "If she's not answering her phone, she's probably still there."

They'd all walked in silence over to the lab.

The group paused outside the gates, looking up at the dark sky and barren yard.

Suddenly, there was a high-pitched scream from inside the lab, and in an instant, Spirit's arm had turned into a scythe blade, sliced the gates open, and ran inside, leaving the other two to follow.

There was no one in the lab at first glance, but knowing the lab like the back of his hand, Spirit rounded a corner to the living room.

Stein was sitting on one of his twin couches camly, smoking, and reading over some papers.

"What the hell was that? And where's Charlotte?" Spirit shouted.

He swore to Death, if Stein had done something to her-

"She's in the bathroom, I believe. Something wrong?"

Azusa, who'd come in behind Spirit, eyed Stein warily.

"Are you deaf?"

"No, I don't believe so." Stein responded cheerfully.

"Why did she scream?"

"I didn't hear anything, senpai."

Spirit glared at that ridiculous smirk on his face.

"Where's Marie?"

"Grocery shopping."

"Azusa!" Spirit said sharply.

"Right." she moved immediately out of the room to locate the bathroom.

Stein took the cigarette out of his mouth casually. He leaned back against the couch. "So, what's the occasion for you bursting into my home?"

Spirit didn't answer, only stepped back to put a hand on Rim's shoulder, because the weapon's fists were clenched, and there were tears of hate and worry in his eyes.

-o-o-o-o-o

Azusa knocked on the door carefully.

"Charlotte? Is everything okay?"

There was no answer.

"Charlotte, if you don't answer me, I'm going to come in." Azusa called.

The door suddenly opened, and the meister pushed past Azusa, slightly dazed.

Azusa was about to follow when she noticed a trickle of blood on the counter.

She stepped closer, noticing a nick in the counter as well. It was small, and thin, like a knife had made it...

Shit.

Azusa whirled around to go back out to the living room. Charlotte and Rim were outside with Spirit.

"When did you give that girl a scalpel?" she demanded.

"I've done no such thing."

"Don't lie to me, Stein." Azusa hissed.

"I believe you are simply overreacting. Perhaps it is hers, and not mine?"

Azusa cocked her head and looked at him.

What she saw scared her deeply.

He was not lying.

"If she did indeed find it lying around, I'll need to get it back..."

"Thanks, Sherlock." Azusa snapped, and almost crashed into the girl as she came back in.

Stein and Azusa's eyes were on her, but Charlotte did not seem to notice.

"Take care of it." Azusa said coldly, and left the room to join Spirit.

-o-o-o-o-o

Charlotte glanced at Stein's shed labcoat draped over a chair as she sat down.

Stein dropped the papers he was reading on the table and observed the girl as he tapped the ash from his cigarette over the back of the couch.

"Yes, Professor?" she said without looking up from her textbook.

He just shook his head.

Stein casually leaned forward in the silence.

She looked up.

"Why are you here?"

"I like doing my homework here."

"It's not good for you."

Where did that come from?

"When I'm around Rim it makes me feel sick. I'd rather come here to give the best work I can, Professor."

"Falling in love with him, are we?"

Charlotte looked up again to see her teacher's grinning face.

"That's cute. Whatever, go where ever you want."

"I'm not in love with that bas-"

"Easy, now."

Charlotte's fists were clenched.

"He keeps trying to invade my privacy-"

"It's only natural. He is your partner, after all."

Charlotte huffed.

"Well, I'm glad you at least don't hate me enough to where we can talk like we used to." Stein said lightly, looking back down at his papers.

The door suddenly opened, and Marie sang out, "I'm home!"

She smiled when she came upon Stein and Charlotte.

"Hi, guys! Can I get you some tea?"

"Sure. Thanks." Stein responded.

As Marie bustled off, Charlotte leaned forward.

"Professor, I don't understand this question. How is it possible to adapt another independent meister's technique?"

"If you have a connection with the meister in question, it's a little easier, but in all very difficult. However, it can be done."

Charlotte nodded and scribbled down the answer. As she wrote, Stein glanced at her hands. His eyes moved to her a second, he saw black and red marks scratched into the skin. Then her sleeves moved up.

Marie came out with tea and a plate of cookies.

"Here you go." she said kindly, setting it down.

"Charlotte, you should really have some, you're as thin as a stick!" Marie exclaimed.

Charlotte gave a thin smile.

At Marie's pressuring, Charlotte reluctantly took a cookie. Marie had to leave to get another pot of tea because the girl was drinking cup after cup.

Eventually, Charlotte got up to leave. She gave a small bow in Stein's direction.

"See you tomorrow." he called to her.

"Come again, Charlotte!" Marie called from the kitchen.

Stein watched her exit, and just before the end of her coat swished out the door, he saw the silver glint of a scalpel.

-o-o-o-o-o

**Hola! Okay, I would like to make something clear: **_**Stein**_** has the madness, as well as Charlotte, so you might be thinking: why is she acting more normal around him? It's because since they both are mad, they both click. Or something like that. XD Please review or tell me on my Instagram, theauwalker!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Scarred**

**A/N: This is actually a re-written version. I didn't like the old one, so this one is here X3**

**Two theme songs for this fic:**

**Coming Undone by Korn**

**Animal I've Become by Three Days Grace**

**This chapter contains dark stuff, but not bad. I felt really bad for Charlotte at the end of this D:**

**Thanks to Lialane Graest for adding me to her favorite authors list X3**

**Writing the fight scene was so awesome. Even though it was depressing and serious, I was having a great time for some reason…**

**Meh. I don't own Soul Eater, but I'm getting Stein's screw and lab coat X3**

**Thanks to emmakeehl8 for editing, and then putting up with me when I wanted to re-write XD**

**Please review!**

**Enjoy~**

**-o-o-**

Stein thought about that glinting scalpel all day, the last vision he had of her before the night had ended.

She was normal in class. Normal for her, which meant being silent all period and never raising her hand once, only taking notes on what he said.

Stein sat at his desk with his head in his hands.

_This has gone too far._

Yes, he had seen his bathroom; he knew the million things people could do to themselves with sharp objects. Despite some part of his mind just wanting him to leave it alone, the still sane part of his being insisted he take action.

He wanted to start an experiment. An experiment that would tell him how much the demon possessing her was willing to take. How hard he was latched on, the scale of his resistance to being flushed out.

Stein knew the only way to do it was to get himself alone with her, with no possibly way they could be bothered, no way she could run. His lab was too risky.

He couldn't go to his lab because he knew it would hurt her, and he knew people would hear her screams.

The side of his mind that was collapsing didn't ponder what her state would be like when he was done with her.

He knew she could die under his hands.

For some reason, it didn't bother him as much as he thought it should have. Yes, a shiver ran down his spine at the thought of her chest ceasing to rise, but he needed to _experiment_.

He should be able to bring her back if she did fall. He was a doctor. Stein knew the signs of exertion.

He was so certain. She was possessed, and he had to get her free because it was killing him too.

The madness rooted in her mind was starting to trickle into his.

He had to do it, had to get it out.

The demon inside her would eventually kill her and move on to another host. She'd been hiding it, but now Stein knew, and he wasn't going to sit around any longer and watch his favorite student waste away.

He spoke out suddenly in the silence of his classroom.

"Class dismissed."

"Professor? There's still an hour left…"

"You heard me. Now get out of my classroom."

There was some hesitation, but students packed up their things and slowly filed out the door, indeed an hour early until dismissal.

"Charlotte."

She obediently came down, looking him in the eye.

He glanced for a second at her long sleeves covering her arms, and sat back in his chair.

"How long does it usually take for you to complete your homework?"

"Around an hour, Professor."

"Admirable."

She gave a slight bow of her head in response.

"Since it takes you little time, I was wondering if you'd like to join me for some extra meister training."

Her head shot up in surprise. This was clearly not what she'd been expecting, Stein knew that. Some crazy part of him wanted to laugh.

"Without Rim?"

"Yes."

He said nothing more, and she slowly nodded.

"Wonderful. Meet me back here in about an hour or so?"

"Yes, Professor."

"All right." He said, giving her a wink before he left. "Dress to fight."

-o-o-o-o

Stein casually strolled back to the DWMA an hour later, wearing his usual attire minus his lab coat. He saw a small figure sitting outside, on the first step or so, and he called out.

"Hey, Charlotte! You ready?"

She rose, and he frowned a little.

The black-haired meister wore a black long-sleeved shirt, pants, and boots. She closed her book and placed it inside her bag.

"Well…shall we get going then?"

"Yes, Professor."

He waited for her to join him, and the pair began the trek out of Death City, into the surrounding desert. Once they had finished their silent walk, Charlotte placed her bag on the ground. Stein slipped off his shoes and his shirt, and waited. She did nothing.

"Come, now, you're not seriously going to fight in that?" he asked with a laugh. "You might work up a sweat fighting _me_."

His intentional stress of the last word was obvious to her. He showed her that he intended to go all out.

She fixed him with a cold stare that was so unlike her former self, and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Suit yourself."

Stein sighed and removed his glasses, tossing them on top of his shirt.

"Okay, why don't we start out with a simple spar first? How about you try and hit me?"

He let out a friendly laugh as she stepped forward in front of him. He noticed she was already sweating, and her cheeks were beginning to color. With the resolve that she'd eventually give in, Stein rolled his neck on his shoulder and cracked his knuckles.

"Fair warning, I don't play ea-"

His forearm blocked the sole of her boot aiming for his face. She used her left arm to twist around and try and check him on the side of his head, but he brought up his other arm and struck her elbow to block.

Stein had figured out by how fast she had moved that it was not her fighting him, the demon's protective instincts over its host had kicked in. The speed at which her body retaliated was not human, and he knew he could defend himself, but could she defend herself against his retaliation? The demon enhanced her abilities, Stein knew that, but her body was still human.

The next time her fist aimed at his face, without thinking, his fist rose to block, and his other hand drove itself into her stomach, and he had to stop himself at the last moment from delivering a crippling blow of his Soul Wavelength. Something was holding him back from starting his experiment-he genuinely feared he wouldn't be able to control himself.

She fell back all the same, and Stein noticed her cheeks were flaming red, and sweat was running down her face.

"You should really roll up your sleeves or something."

Her hand rose to wipe the sweat off her forehead.

"Why should I?"

"You look like you're about to burst."

"I'd rather not."

"Got something to hide?"

She didn't answer, but walked unsteadily over to attempt half-hearted swing. He sidestepped it easily, and watched her as she stumbled and finally sat down hard.

He crouched down next to her, casually wiping the minor sweat off his own forehead.

"Take it off. You're going to get heatstroke."

She looked him in the eyes again, and Stein saw how close she was from passing out. The combined heat from the sun and the sickness from the demon was not a good combination. It didn't help that she was being thrown around.

"Now."

His tone was serious, and when she ripped her boots off, he stood up.

She reluctantly pulled her shirt off and adjusted the straps of her sports bra, that was, unsurprisingly, black.

When his gaze drifted to all the red marks on her body, she turned away.

"Jesus…"

She lunged towards him and actually managed to clip the edge of his jaw while he was stunned.

He touched the spot briefly and then turned his gaze on her. She crouched on the ground, fists balled, sweat rolling off her stomach and arms.

She jumped at him, but his senses went on autopilot, fighting her off, but he was thinking about how many red marks there were.

He had to get the scalpel back, and remove all knives from her surroundings. He had to do something…she was bleeding, even right now, blood mixing with her sweat.

"Professor!"

Her scream brought his conscious mind snapping back, and her foot slammed into his chest, knocking him back. He instinctively grabbed onto her ankle, throwing her over his head and sending her face smashing into the sand.

She let out a hoarse scream.

She quickly recovered, landing on top of him. She stared down at her teacher with malice in her eyes. He had let her win, let her have her fun.

He smiled up at her, and she snarled.

It was not what she wanted.

With a scream of fury, her fist slammed into the ground next to his head, and he smiled at the fact that she did not take the easy way out. Just like he thought.

He drove his fist into her stomach, sending his Wavelength through her, and a sticky liquid splattered his face as she flew backwards. Stein tilted his head. He sensed that she was almost to the end of her rope. Stein watched for an opening, and she would not give up. For some reason, even though the silver-haired meister knew she was almost at her limit, he didn't stop himself. An insane smile flitted over his face. He would push her, like she wanted.

She stood unsteadily, wiping blood from her mouth.

"Damn." She spat.

He raised an eyebrow.

"Had enough?"

She gave an unsteady little laugh.

"I will never have had enough."

"Bring it, then." He cracked his knuckles and beckoned her forward.

The two meisters fought for several more hours, each taking injuries of their own. They rolled and wrestled across the desert, and at one point they were in a deadlock. Stein's hand was wrapped around Charlotte's throat, and her hands were pressed at pressure points on his face. If either of them applied more pressure, the other would pass out.

"Let's make a bet." Stein said through gritted teeth. "If I win, tell me about those." He pointed with his free hand to the red lines marking her body.

"If I win?" she spat.

"Anything you want." He answered with a smile.

She smiled sadistically. "I'd like a new scalpel. The old one's getting dull."

He snarled and tightened his hands, causing her smile to be wiped off her face. She grabbed at his hand, fingers weakly trying to pry his hand off. She gasped for air.

"I won't lose." He said grimly, and threw her.

She landed on her shoulders, tumbling backwards until she picked herself up and ran at him.

As he blocked her attacks, he noticed signs of heatstroke, fatigue, and the toll from her injuries was catching up to her. Almost there…

He himself only had a few scratches.

Stein sent a fist to her solar plexus, knocking her backwards once again. She clutched at her throat, fighting for air. She got up, once more, her arms weakly swinging at her sides, and Stein's eyes fixed on a point on her chest where he envisioned his palm slamming with green light…

She ran, and Stein swung.

"SOUL PURGE!"

The green electricity sparked over his hand into her body, and red liquid coated his arm as she let out an inhuman scream.

Stein threw back his head and laughed.

The madness was overwhelming him; she was like an amplifier. Rather, they amplified each other.

He laughed at her terror of not being able to breathe, and when he finally settled down, he noticed unlike so many times before, she did not get up to continue her hopeless fight against him.

He walked over to her, sanity genuinely gracing his mind, and crouched down next to her.

Fear began to prickle in his stomach. Blood was leaking from her chest and her mouth, and it was an odd, purplish color…

Her eyes were closed.

"Charlotte." He said sharply.

Her eyes opened lazily, and her gaze drifted over to him. She blinked slowly, and her eyes rolled in her head, and a sadistic smile crept across her face.

Charlotte opened her mouth, coughed, and blood flew up to meet Stein's face. His arm flew up to cover his eyes, and when he took his arm down, her eyes were closed again, and her chest did not rise.

"Charlotte!"

No answer.

He swore, cursing himself that he had pushed her too hard. His intention was to experiment, see how far she could go before succumbing, but he had only suspected she'd simply stop fighting. He knew throwing the demon out would be messy, but for Death's sake, he couldn't take seeing her dead…

Not this.

His fingers tested her pulse, but no heart beat inside her chest. The meister had given in to multiple factors, and it was just too much.

"CHARLOTTE!"

Stein glanced up at the blazing sun, and then his fists slammed down on her chest. He felt himself losing it, his grip on sanity slipping.

No. He had to concentrate.

As he worked to bring her back, he cursed himself repeatedly, his own insanity that had caused this to happen.

He pressed down on her chest several times, checked her pulse, and tried again.

Stein pressed so hard, he could see a bruise forming. With every compression, he muttered, "Damn, damn, damn…" under his breath.

"Charlotte, please!"

Death, he was begging now.

He couldn't come back with a dead girl. He couldn't come back with his favorite student limp in his arms.

The hell, he was a doctor! Why wouldn't she wake up?

"Charlotte!"

His favorite student, he'd murdered her. She was dead, and he could feel insanity threatening to overwhelm him.

"Shit!" he swore at the laughing sun, and then bent down to open her mouth and cover her nose.

Her eyes flew open in the middle of his second breath, and her hands flew up to push his face away from hers.

Stein felt weak with relief. He was positive that she had been gone, but he knew h would have kept trying. Death, he was shaking.

He sat back on his heels, trying to catch his breath. Stein slipped his shirt over his head and pressed a hand to his forehead, trying to calm himself down.

"Professor!"

His hand flew away from his face at her strangled tone. Her eyes were wide and crazy from fear from what was going on inside her body. She convulsed, shaking, and attempted to talk.

Stein didn't drive the demon out entirely, and the remaining part was rebelling.

He'd never be able to get it out fully, but he'd healed her somewhat. Enough.

Charlotte went still.

"Damn it, not again." He growled, but when he pressed his fingers to her neck, her heart was beating.

He gently slapped her cheeks, but when her eyes did not open, he picked her up.

It was his fault, his fault that he couldn't stop. He'd killed her, for Death's sake. What if he hadn't been able to bring her back?

Stein glanced at the bruises his fists had made on her chest, mixed with the red lines.

He thought about her partner, Rim, and what he would do when he heard about their 'training'.

About halfway through the walk, he heard a cough, and thought too soon it was probably not a good thing that she wakes up to a resemblance of being kidnapped.

She screamed, and then broke into a coughing and choking fit. He ignored her and stuffed her shirt in her mouth. Charlotte fought him silently while he carried her through the back ways of Death City, and by the time he was back home, she was nearly in tears.

Stein wasn't going to let her go just yet. She wasn't getting off the hook, and they both knew it, especially her as she attempted to escape.

He finally set her down on a cold metal table in his lab and walked to stand in front of her, to where his face was close to hers.

"What the hell was that about?" he demanded, barely contained rage in his voice.

She seemed to shrink a little under his gaze.

He grabbed her chin and forced it upwards. He was furious.

She was alive, they were alone, and she had a lot to answer to.

"Professor!" she squeaked.

"Tell me. Now."

His voice was cold, and held pure threat.

She swallowed.

"I got scared."

"That's not what I'm talking about. Do you need me to remind you?"

She shook her head.

He let go of her chin and placed his hands on either side of her waist on the table, waiting.

The black-haired meister said nothing about how close he was to her, or the fact that it made the buzzing in her head increase.

"I'm waiting."

Charlotte's hands snaked up to her head. Her fingers pressed into her forehead.

"I…"

"Explain."

"I don't know!"

The scream filled his empty house, and Stein pressed a hand to his forehead in frustration.

"Talk to me about these. I did win, after all." He grabbed her wrist and forced it upwards into the light.

She did not meet his eyes.

"Answer me!"

His voice broke at the end. He was so tired of seeing her like this every day. He was so depressed about what had happened to her. Where did she go?

"Don't you see this hurts me too, damn it? My student ripping herself up? You're going to kill yourself, you _idiot_."

His voice was harsh, but it cracked, revealing he was close to losing it.

There was a tugging in Stein's chest as he looked at the remains of his favorite student sitting in front of him. He never thought someone like her would do something like this to herself, but then again, it wasn't her anymore.

Stein placed a cigarette between his lips and exhaled very slowly, trying to pull himself together. He could feel his sanity slipping at this sight that scared the shit out of him. The buzzing in his head was becoming louder and louder, and Stein bowed his head, clenching his teeth around his cigarette. He had to stop looking...

He turned away.

"I said _answer me_, Charlotte."

He pressed a hand to his head again and finally turned to her when she did not comply.

"Give me back my scalpel."

"I don't have it."

"Get it."

"I threw it away."

"Get out."

Her eyes flicked upwards.

"Get out, before I decide to show you your insides."

She didn't move, and he felt the urge to slap her off his table.

He imagined his hand connecting with her cheek, sending her flying, diving into her stomach with his scalpels, making her scream.

His hand tightened on his face, and his other hand caused the table to creak.

She leant forward to place her arms slowly and carefully around his shoulders.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"_Please…help me."_

"What?" he asked, sharply, bringing his face back to stare at her.

She remained leaning her head on his shoulder as if she had never said anything, closing her eyes as tears started to roll down her cheeks..

He carefully brought his arms to meet around her back.

Stein heard a sob escape from the meister's chest.

-o-o-

**The ending is probably one of the saddest things I've ever written. I seriously teared up when I was writing Pained!Stein…I've gotten really attached to Charlotte. I'm so depressed now from writing that D: I hope you liked it, please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Scarred**

**A/N: I don't own Vocaloid, Soul Eater, or Miike Snow. I had writer's block on this chapter, but I hoped you liked it :D I'm going to work on the next chapter right now, because I have a really good idea of what to do XD**

**Enjoy, and please review!**

**Thanks to emmakeehl8 for editing.**

**Also, my new Soul Eater story will be coming out soon. It's called 'To Come Out of Nowhere' and is an OC fic :D I hope you'll read it when it comes out!**

**-o-o-o-o**

Stein stared out his dirty window at the laughing moon.

It was two in the morning.

He'd thought about calling Rim to come pick Charlotte up, but he hadn't moved to pick up the phone. _It's late anyway_, he reminded himself.

Currently, his student was spread out on his couch, fast asleep, tear tracks drying on her cheeks.

He'd let her be after he carried her there from the table. She hadn't woken up once, and Stein hadn't fallen asleep.

_What now?_

Well, she would recover.

_Then what?_

God damn it, he didn't know.

He wondered what the effects of possession was. Maybe memory loss?

She could become her old self immediately, or it could take time. He'd just have to wait and see.

Stein roughly crushed his cigarette in the ashtray.

He ran a hand through his hair. He really should sleep, but he couldn't just leave Charlotte alone in here. With a sigh, Stein sat down on his rolling chair and turned on his computer.

He stared at the blank screen for a few minutes, not really knowing why he turned it on.

Stein read a few old emails, and was in the middle of scrolling down another one when there was a weak, "Professor?" beside him.

Stein whirled around to see a worn-out looking Charlotte, squinting in the bright light and rubbing her eyes.

He watched her carefully. She yawned.

"What time is it?"

"Two thirty in the morning. Go back to sleep."

She yawned again, nodded, and turned around.

When the older meister heard her lie back down, he turned around again.

At least she didn't sound like he'd done everything in the world to piss her off when she talked anymore. Her voice was…different.

It had been so long since it sounded like that, how it was _supposed _to sound.

Stein shut off his computer, got up, and walked over to the couch.

He glanced down at her sleeping form briefly before leaving the room to go to bed.

-o-o-o-o

Stein sat straight up in bed five hours later, his well-trained ears picking up strange noises coming from the kitchen.

The meister slid of his bed and walked down the hallway, sticking his head around the doorway.

Charlotte stood in front of the stove, prodding something in a pan. The strange noises were coming from his old laptop resting on top of the microwave.

"What are you doing?"

"I got hungry." Charlotte responded cheerfully without turning around.

"What is that accursed noise?" Stein asked next, ignoring the fact that she was eating his food.

"Hatsune Miku. And it's not accursed."

"What the hell is a Hatsune Miku?"

"_She_'s a Vocaloid, Professor! Sheesh!" Charlotte practically screeched at the top of her lungs.

Stein winced at her volume in the early morning. He was still half-asleep.

"Whatever you say."

"Hey, where's your sugar?"

"In the cabinet next to the fridge. Why?"

"Coffee."

"You shouldn't be drinking coffee." Stein said wearily, coming into the kitchen. "It makes you short."

"Well, too bad."

He raised an eyebrow at her back.

"Feeling back to normal?"

"What do you mean?" Charlotte asked, turning around, an expression of confusion on her face.

"Nothing." Stein said hastily. He'd tell her soon, but not now, when he was still trying to grasp what was going on.

Stein poured himself her coffee and set a kettle full of water on the stove for her instead. He leaned against the counter and sipped.

Charlotte suddenly turned and abruptly slammed the keyboard of the laptop with the end of the spatula, prompting the device to change songs.

"What am I being treated to next?"

"Miike Snow."

"At least this is in English."

She stuck her tongue out at him.

Once the black-haired girl finished cooking whatever it was, she put it on a plate and hopped up onto the counter with a fork.

"Did you leave any food for me?"

"There's more eggs in the fridge. I didn't know you ate." The girl replied loftily.

"I do on occasion." Stein replied, and placed his empty mug in the sink.

It was so weird. He was sitting in his kitchen having a normal conversation with his student that had just been possessed and dead.

He supposed just falling back into normal routine for both her and himself was comforting. If early morning friendly banter between a mad scientist and a previously dead/possessed girl was comforting. Stein supposed by their standards it was.

Her plate clattered into the sink soon after as well as her empty cup.

"Well. That was delicious." Charlotte mused, hopping off the counter and strolling back into the living room after shutting off the music.

As the silver-haired man washed the dishes, he wondered how he was going to break it to her what had happened. Or how to explain the possible giant gap in memory.

Once Stein had placed the last mug inside the cabinet, he joined Charlotte in the living room, who was in the middle of a conversation with Rim on the phone.

"I know! No, he didn't! I just stole his food!"

Stein raised an eyebrow when the weapon's screeching on the other side of the phone increased.

Finally, it subsided, and Charlotte put the phone down slowly.

"Heh. Apparently it was my turn to cook last night."

Stein laughed. "Rim can't cook?"

"He can, he just likes my cooking better. I think."

Charlotte scratched the back of her head.

"I can't really remember how it went…"

"Is he coming to pick you up?" Stein interrupted.

"Um..yeah."

"Okay. Well, in the time remaining, we need to have a talk."

-0o-o3-

To sum it up, telling her didn't go well.

Stein sat on the edge of the roof, his legs dangling over the edge as he smoked. He'd re-called Rim and told him to put off arriving for a couple hours.

Charlotte was still in the house. Stein had tried staying down there to calm her down, but it was no use. He just couldn't do anything for her.

First she had just stood there, in shock. Then she found a mirror. The screaming started, then the crying, and finally just total hysteria and panic.

She'd been down there for quite a while.

Stein blew out a stream of smoke.

The trapdoor creaked open, and slow dragging footsteps sounded on the cold concrete.

Charlotte sat down next to him.

Her hair was mussed up, strands lying on her shoulders from where she'd been pulling it out. That was not the worst of it. Sections were chopped off, leaving it uneven.

Her eyes were red, her face puffy and pale. The scars on her arms had scratch marks.

Stein carefully put an arm around her shoulders. She slumped.

When she finally exhaled, Stein helped her up, and they went back inside. He sat her down on a chair, ignoring the state of his lab, and cut her hair so it was even again.

Charlotte ran her fingers through it tentatively once he was done, automatically recognizing its shortness.

"I did my best. You didn't leave me much left to work with."

"It's fine. Thank you."

"Go get it dyed blonde again if you want, but…I think it looks good."

Charlotte's head shot up.

"W-what?"

"It looks good on you." Stein said with a wink.

The corners of her mouth tugged up just a bit for a few seconds, but then they dropped again.

"What will Rim s-…oh. He already knows."

Stein waited.

"It's like a reminder of what happened."

"That may be, but…think about it."

Charlotte dipped her head in response.

"I probably threw out all of my favorite clothes."

"Black looks fine. Or just borrow Rim's, I'm sure he'll be more than happy to oblige."

Charlotte's cheeks tinted pink.

"He'll be very happy to help." Stein teased.

"Shut up!" Charlotte swatted him. She laughed as he leaned sideways to avoid being hit.

Her smile gradually dropped.

"These will never go away." She said, raising her arms. "Then people'll think I'm a freak."

"You're more than able to kick their ass if they do. I'll personally turn a blind eye."

She didn't smile.

"You're not a freak. I'll help you get rid of them as much as we can, okay?"

Charlotte nodded silently.

"Did…did anything happen while I was…"

"Not really." Stein answered truthfully. "Except you may have gotten kiss-"

Her mouth dropped open, and she punched him in the arm.

"Shut up! You better be kidding, Professor!"

Stein couldn't stop the grin creeping across his face. "No, I'm serious! Rim is very persistent!"

Charlotte doubled over with laughter, her shoulders shaking. "Professor! Stop it!"

Stein chuckled himself, leaning back in his chair. He opened his mouth to say something, but there was a knock on his door.

Stein got up to get it, and he opened the door to reveal Rim nervously tapping his fingers against his leg.

"Hi, Professor. How's Charlotte? Is she okay?"

"She's fine." Stein replied, stepping back to let the weapon in.

Rim practically ran to his meister, and when Stein entered the other room he saw Charlotte and Rim standing motionless in the middle of the room, their arms wrapped tightly around one another.

"I'm glad you're okay."

Charlotte lowered her head into Rim's shoulder. His fingers traveled slowly up to the back of her neck, fingering her new short hair.

"Your hair looks nice."

"Thanks." Charlotte said quietly when they pulled away from each other. She ran a hand through it. "It was kinda on-the-spot. Still getting used to it…"

"Well, I like it."

Charlotte's cheeks turned red. Rim cleared his throat, his cheeks turning red as well. He turned to Stein.

"Thanks for letting her sleep over, Professor."

"Anytime. Stop by tomorrow for a checkup, okay? And…be careful if you go out with your friends again, okay?"

Charlotte nodded.

"Bye, Professor."

Stein watched the pair go, roaring off on Rim's motorcycle. Charlotte waved once more at him, and Stein waved back, only hoping that Rim had the good sense to take care of Charlotte.

-_o-o

The next morning, when Charlotte and Rim showed up, Stein had actually slept the night before. Charlotte was indeed wearing an old pair of Rim's jeans and a shirt of his. They were talking about shopping when they walked up the steps.

Stein gave Charlotte a basic check-up and then took Rim aside.

"Keep trying to jog her memory, but don't make it obvious." Stein said quietly.

Rim nodded.

"She should be fine. Everything is working, the bruises and cuts are healing. If anything comes up, don't hesitate to call."

"Thanks, Professor."

"Sure."

"Should I bring her to class Monday?"

"I don't see why not."

Rim managed a tight smile.

Stein put a hand on the weapon's shoulder. "It's very admirable that you've stuck by her. It's exactly what she needs."

"I wouldn't leave her for anything." Rim said quietly.

-o-o-o-o

Monday morning, just like old times, he heard Charlotte chattering away before he even entered the classroom. Stein grinned to himself.

Throughout the lesson, she looked a little lost at points, but Stein turned a blind eye to Rim whispering to her.

When the bell rang, Charlotte suddenly gave Rim a huge hug and turned back to her friends. Rim left the classroom with one hand in his pocket and the other running itself through his hair, looking slightly embarrassed with a red tint on his cheeks.

When Stein was finished packing up, which usually took a long time, Charlotte was still talking with her group of close friends.

"All right, girls." Stein called. "I'm leaving."

They all jumped, wrapped up in their own conversation. Eventually, they headed down and out.

After they had gone, Stein made his way home. Marie was there, sitting at the table and sewing something.

"Hi, Stein!" she greeted him cheerfully.

"Hey, Marie. I have good news for you."

"What?" she asked eagerly.

"Something about Rim…and Charlotte.." Stein said calmly, going into the kitchen.

She screamed. "Really?!"

"See for yourself tomorrow."

"I can't wait!"

_O-o-o-

The rest of the week flew by, Friday ending with Charlotte joining her teacher for a cup of tea after school.

She'd been happy all week, content in her seat and turning in her work on time. She smiled and laughed like she used to, and on Friday, she looked like she was about to burst.

She kept her mouth clenched tightly shut on the way back to Stein's lab, squeezing her fists and hopping slightly.

"Is there some-"

"Rim asked me out!" she screamed, throwing her hands up in the air. She continued to shriek with happiness, running in circles.

Stein watched her from his chair, an eyebrow raised as he sipped his cup of tea.

She finally sat down, beaming. Stein laughed. "You done?"

"Sorry." Charlotte said, blushing. "I'm just really happy."

"Good for you." Stein grinned. The older meister rolled into the kitchen, placing his empty cup in the sink. He glanced absently out the kitchen window. It was getting late. The moon was just starting to rise.

"Hey, Charlotte." Stein called. "Is Rim going to pick you up soon? It's almost time for dinner."

He waited, washing out his cup. There was no response.

"Charlotte?"

There was an odd clicking noise coming from the other room. Stein rolled back into the room, looking around.

"Charlotte?"

There were more clicking noises, and Stein's head jerked to the right where Charlotte was standing hunched over in the corner. Her fingers were wrapped in the folds of the hem of her dress. Shadows fell across her form, and when she suddenly turned her head, Stein skittered backwards a few feet on his chair.

Long, sharp, needle-like teeth filled her mouth, and her eyes were black. She began to walk towards him, still hunched over and taking jerky steps. Stein couldn't move.

She shrieked in his face, blood dripping from her teeth. Stein blinked, and when he opened his eyes, one of Charlotte's hands was on his chair, and her face was normal. She was standing straight and looking down at him, concern in her eyes.

"Professor? Are you okay?"

Stein was aware there was a look of horror on his face, and he quickly straightened it.

"I said Rim was coming now. I just called him."

"That's fine."

Stein turned away, reaching for his glasses on the side table. His hands were shaking slightly.

Damn. Looked like his madness was still there.

Ten minutes later, Charlotte skipped out the door when she heard the sound of Rim's motorcycle.

"Bye, Professor! See you Monday! Thanks for the tea!"

Stein raised a hand absently.

One last thought ran through his head before the door shut and he was engulfed in darkness.

_What if it wasn't my madness?_

_O_O_O_

**Well, I hope you liked it :D **

**Please review!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Scarred**

**A/N: Fast update, ne? :D**

**This chapter...has a bit of freakyness in it. I know at the end of the last chapter there was a bit of freak in it, but this chapter has some more. I'm still figuring out if this chapter is going to be the last one before the real freaky stuff, or if there's going to be one more. I don't really have any ideas for the next chapter...I'll warn you now and in the next chapter, but the next chapter will have freaky stuff. Basically, if you don't like the fics where Stein...vivisects(my new favorite word)...then don't read it. It will stay T, but...yeah. It's not just the vivisecting, apparently I convey emotion well in my writing so it'll be depressing as well. Like...I teared up a bit when I wrote one of the moments in the next chapter a few months ago. It just made me cry, and when I showed it to a buddy, they said it made them tear up too. So be prepared D:**

**-o-**

Monday morning, Stein rubbed the tiredness from his eyes as he waited for his coffee in the staff room.

There was a knock on the wall, and Stein lifted his head from where it'd been resting on his arms.

"Hey, senpai."

"Hey. Everything okay?"

"Yeah."

Spirit narrowed his eyes. "Are you sure?"

"Why all the questioning, senpai?"

"I'm just making sure, Stein. After all, we did just have a possession. It's not just a walk in the park."

Spirit began to down the rest of his own coffee.

"Since you asked, I'm still not entirely sure it's out."

Spirit spewed, spraying the brown liquid everywhere. He coughed harshly.

"What?" he gasped. "What is it?"

"It might've been my own imagination.-"

"You scared me for a minute." Spirit laughed. "Then I'm sure it's nothing."

"Probably. I'm still watching her, though."

"That's a good idea."

Spirit placed his mug in the sink and departed with a wave, his hands in his pockets.

Eventually, Stein returned to the classroom, casting a glance up at Charlotte. She didn't notice, scribbling happily on a piece of scrap paper with her friends.

-o-o-o

Later that night, when Stein was grading homework, he realized something.

It was so shocking that it made him put down his pen and sit back in his chair.

He'd completely forgotten about the resonance lesson. The day that it was scheduled for had passed, and he'd forgotten all about it.

How in the name of Shinigami did he forget?

Stein leaned forward and scribbled a note on his lesson plan to do one as soon as possible.

Hmm. It was probably his own madness...but why would his own madness want him to forget a simple resonance lesson?

Then it hit him. Stein sucked in his breath. It wasn't his madness, it was Charlotte's. Something must have been wrong with her and Rim's resonance because of the possession, so it had to be avoided...

Stein thought again of her face the other night.

He suddenly regretted letting her go. The silver-haired meister did not know what was coming, but he knew it wasn't going to be pleasant. He was sure now that it was her madness, not his, and that it was not his imagination.

The thing was that no one would believe him. Everyone thought it was gone, and wishful thinking would keep their minds going that way. He had to figure this out on his own.

Stein grinned suddenly, cracking his knuckes.

Just like old times.

-o-o-o

"Charlotte, see me after class." Stein said, handing her back her test. Nervously, she glanced down at the score. It was perfectly fine.

"O-okay...am I in trouble, Professor?"

_More than you can ever imagine._

That fake smile of his.

"Of course not."

She went back to her seat.

Marie was teaching, and thankfully had not heard the encounter, so the rest of class passed quickly and without incident.

When the bell rang and everyone had drifted out, including Marie, Charlotte came down to see her teacher,

"Yes?"

"Take a seat."

She obeyed.

"Charlotte...do you remember how I told you that I'm not entirely positive that your...demon...is out?"

"Yes, Professor."

"I've had reasons to increase that suspicion. Do me a favor take precautions in case of an attack, okay? Don't go anywhere alone, and have Rim proof your apartment."

Her face was visibly paling.

"Don't worry." Stein said as kindly as possible, but he couldn't stop imaging her face morphing. "You're going to be fine. It's just a precaution. Feel free to come see me if something happens."

"I will, Professor."

Stein nodded, and Charlotte, understanding she was dismissed, got up from her chair and grabbed her bag from the floor.

"See you tomorrow."

"Bye, Professor!"

"Oh, Charlotte." he called. "One more thing."

She turned.

"Would you happen to know if anything is glitchy with you and Rim's resonance?"

"I don't think so, Professor..."

"All right."

She nodded and turned to go.

Stein watched her leave absently, his mind somewhere else.

-o-o-o-

Stein's mind snapped to attention, realizing that the phone was ringing. He dug it out from under a pile of papers.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Professor. It's Rim. I was wondering...how should I proof the apartment?"

"Is she home at the moment?"

"No, she's shopping with some friends."

"Okay. Move all knives and other harmful sharp objects to places where she won't be able to find them. It may be an adjustment, but you'll be cooking from now on. Don't let her near the cooking knives even when she is fine, do you understand?"

"Yes, Professor..."

"Essentially baby-proof the house. Make it safe."

"Okay."

There was the sound of the drawer slamming.

"Should I run down and get some locks?"

"That would be wise."

"Right, then. Thanks, Professor."

-o-o-o

"Hey, Rim?" Charlotte called. "Where did the kitchen knives go?"

Rim put down his pen.

"Um...well...we're not supposed to have them out." he said uneasily.

There was a silence.

"Oh. But is it fine if I use it just for a second?"

"What for?"

"Dinner."

"I thought we'd go out tonight." Rim answered lightly. "Is that fine?"

"Oh, sure!" she called back happily.

Rim's eyes flew to his phone on the desk, and he almost picked up.

He didn't know what gave him the urge to call his teacher.

-o-o-o

A week passed without incident. Rim recalled Charlotte asking for scissors or knives a few times, but she gradually accepted the idea that she wasn't allowed to use either for her own safety.

Then another week passed. Stein noticed in class that Charlotte was smiling more and more.

The only thing that was out of place was Rim Shakre.

His skin was pale, and there were shadows under his eyes. He left the class occasionally when a friend of his asked if he could go to the nurse.

When Stein mentioned one day that they were having a resonance test the next day, Rim threw up.

Stein opened the door to the infimary three hours later, walking right over to Rim sitting up on the hospital bed.

"How long has this been going on?"

"End of last week." Rim whispered.

"Is there something you need to tell me?"

"What gave you that idea?"

"I've seen the signs of supressed madness before, Rim."

Actually, it was just an educated guess, but he had no need to tell the young weapon that.

Rim swallowed.

"I can't tell you."

"Why is that?"

There was terror in the weapon's eyes.

"I think I've been studying too hard. Not getting enough sleep."

"You're correct about the sleep part, no doubt. But there's something else, and I'm not leaving until you tell me. Is it about Charlotte?"

Rim didn't answer, only focused on the opposite wall.

"Have you ever gotten that feeling when you're not sure if something is real or not?"

A chill ran down Stein's spine.

"Yes."

Rim did not elaborate, staring at the wall with haunted eyes, so Stein let him be.

-o-oo-

It was a chilly night before the resonance test arrived. Rim looked even worse that day, and Stein had figured out there was something else wrong.

Charlotte's smile.

It was not the smile of a regular, happy teenager.

It held a degree of sadism that was not natural, and Stein was almost afraid to look into her eyes because he was afraid he'd see something else in there.

When it was time for the students to show up, Charlotte was not smiling anymore. Rim looked gaunt, his cheeks were sunken in slightly and he was as white as a ghost.

"I'm so sorry. I swear I thought it was locked."

Overhearing Rim repeating this particular verse, Stein raised his eyes from his clipboard.

There was a long bandage on Charlotte's shin.

Stein took Rim aside.

"What happened?"

"A cabinet that was holding the kitchen knives...I swear I thought it was locked...it must have not been because it opened, and she fell on one of them. I didn't hear her scream, but I woke up and found her..."

Rim shivered, obviously thinking about the next event that happened.

Stein knew very well what it was. He'd figured out why Rim was looking so scared and sick all the time.

_Her face morphed into that of a demon's, didn't it?_

_You didn't hear her scream because she didn't._

_Oh, it was locked all right. But she knew where they were, and she unlocked it herself._

_She didn't fall on the knife, she stuck it in her own leg._

-oo-o-o

Charlotte and Rim were able to resonate, but not for very long. Their resonance burst with a loud crack and a scream, Rim transforming back in mid-air and flying back several feet.

"I'm sorry." Charlotte said, tears in her eyes. "That's never happened before."

"Try again."

This time, Stein used his Soul Perception.

Charlotte's soul was devouring Rim's, much like the effect of Black Blood. It swamped the weapon, causing him to forcefully break the resonance.

"It's fine." Stein said tonelessly. "Just practice."

As he moved on the next pair, he could feel Charlotte's eyes burning the back of his head.

She would come to him, and they both knew it.

-o-o-o

Stein didn't even bother hurrying up when he was packing up. He could almost hear her footsteps down the hall.

His question was what state she would be in...mad, or normal?

"Professor?"

Her voice was filled with tears.

_Normal_.

"I need to talk to you."

She was barely holding back tears.

"I think...I'm doing things I'm not aware of."

Stein continued packing his bag.

"Rim...is scared of me, Professor. He tries not to show it, but I can see it in his eyes. I have really horrible dreams, and I woke up this morning with a knife in my leg."

There was a long silence.

"What do I do, Professor?"

"You can get the fuck out of my office, that's what." Stein snapped, and when he turned around to throw the book he was holding, it sailed through empty air and hit the wall behind it.

Empty laughter seemed to echo, and suddenly the room seemed much smaller.

Then Spirit was standing behind him.

"Are you okay, Stein? You look pale."

"I'm fine, senpai."

Spirit opened his mouth.

"Would you even believe me, senpai?" Stein asked. "Does anyone see what I see anymore?"

Spirit smiled sadistically, and then he morphed into Rim, with his pale, gaunt face and cold skin.

The illusion burst into black fire, and a glowing blue soul rimmed with black took its place. A demon-faced Charlotte came down the hall, and smirked as it ate the soul.

It was then Stein knew he was absolutely losing it. The illusions kept coming, kept regenerating. They kept getting progressively more horrifying.

Marie found him late evening, sitting on the floor and laughing while he played with the shattered pieces of souls only he could see.

**-o-o-**

**I'm going to start writing Ch. 8 now...but I don't know when I'll be finished. I know updates for my stories will start to get a lot speedier now that I have my laptop, so expect faster updates. Plus, I love writing this story.**

**Please review!**

**Also, a special thank-you to Lialane Graest for being one of the most supportive followers ever. She reviews on all my stuff, has added me to her alerts/favorites, and is very nice :) check out her stories! She rocks!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Scarred**

**A/N: HOLY CRAP PEOPLE. I just made an amazing discovery...well, you know our lovely main character Charlotte? (of course you do, why am I asking) I was listening to my music, and thinking about Rim...(a friend asked about his BAMF hair) and then this song came on...**

**PEPPER NEEDS A NEW PAIR OF SHORTS.**

**DODGEBALL FTW XD**

**The song is called "Charlotte" by Air Traffic, and if you think about it in a fangirlish way, it sounds like the themesong of Rim X3**

**Yeah. I am creeping. But what can I say?**

**So, Rim's theme song is now conveniently the name of his partner. But yeah. LISTEN TO IT! But Rim is not drunk XD**

**Scary stuff in this chapter, some gory... D: it was hard for me to write...poor Charlotte...**

**If you know Kuroshitsuji, you'll see my fangirl-ness put into this chapter. Tate...is a saw, and Rim is a blade on a stick XD They're exactly like Eric and Alan's weapons XD**

**-o-o-**

He could hear them.

Behind closed doors, it didn't matter. He could hear them all. The whispers, the murmurs, all of it.

All about him.

Stein sat in the corner, alone in a dark room with the lights on.

She would come in and out, with the face of a demon, and they would laugh together.

Stein's sane mind was locked inside, forced to watch as he laughed like a little girl in a lighted room that seemed pitch black.

He knew how Charlotte felt when she was possessed.

He could only _just_ control his body not to hurt anyone, but that was it. Everything else he had to endure, even the pain of hurting himself in the insane effort to make his sane mind give in.

Sometimes Stein couldn't tell what was real. The only way he could really tell was if they killed themselves in front of his eyes after five minutes.

One time Charlotte came to visit him, real Charlotte.

"Hi, Professor." she said, standing by the door sadly.

He laughed in response, like he always did. It seemed like all he ever did anymore was laugh.

She told him she missed him, and that she hoped he would get better soon.

That made him cackle even harder, and she turned around to go with tears in her eyes.

He didn't want to laugh so much after that.

-o-o-o

Heavy therapy with Marie brought him out of the madness.

He walked around with tired eyes.

Stein was told to take a break from teaching, so he spent his days at his lab, awake for fear of more nightmares.

When he was allowed to see people again and was released from house arrest, Charlotte did not come to see him.

He heard from Spirit she was not showing up to classes anymore, and when he questioned her whereabouts, Spirit did not want to tell him.

"Spirit, _I am her teacher_." he said through gritted teeth.

"She's gone mad, Stein. She's still under house arrest."

"When did this happen?" Stein demanded.

"Some point a few nights ago."

"Where's Rim?"

"Staying there, with a friend."

Stein exhaled loudly.

Spirit put his hands in his pockets.

He took his hands right after, though, to put one on Stein's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Stein."

-o-oo-

Charlotte sometimes had brief moments of sanity when in the presence of others. When alone, she rubbed her eyes so hard black filled her vision. Her smile was bright enough to light the moon.

Inside, the sane part of her cried for Rim as her body stabbed itself with the pretty, shiny scissors.

-o-o-

The cackling was starting again. There was a buzzing inside his head, and then suddenly he was shut out.

He was left to watch through eyes that were no longer his.

It was late, now, and his throat was dry. He tasted blood on his tongue, and he sat down to wait.

Stein could only pray Rim was keeping a watchful eye on his meister.

-o-o-

"Hey, guys? I didn't see the blankets...you said the cabinet next to the bathroom, right?"

There was no answer from the living room.

Tate strode forward, and poked his head around the doorframe.

For a second, he thought he saw Charlotte on top of Rim, with pure black eyes and a wide, demonic smile filled with rows of needle-sharp teeth.

His heart skipped a beat, and then he blinked and Charlotte was sitting on the opposite end of the couch with a neutral expression, reading a book as the television droned on. Rim was still asleep.

He stood there for several seconds before Charlotte turned her head and smiled at him.

"Did you need something, Tate?"

He stared at her.

She smiled right on back, her mouth opening wider to reveal her teeth.

"Rim, wake up."

Her grin stretched.

"Rim!"

The raven-haired weapon shot up from the couch.

"W-what?"

"You fell asleep."

"Ah. Sorry." Rim scratched his head, and then took notice of the silence. He looked up to see Tate with one hand of the doorframe, glaring at Charlotte, and Charlotte with one finger in her book, smiling at Tate.

"Everything okay?" Rim asked.

"Just fine." Tate said through gritted teeth. "Can you show me where the blankets are?"

Rim got up and came into the hallway.

Tate cast a last glance at Charlotte, who was still grinning at him, and pulled Rim into the bathroom and shut the door.

"Fuck, man." Tate said harshly. "I saw...I think I'm going insane. Either me or her."

"Her." Rim said softly, staring at the bottom of the shower curtain.

"I won't go." Tate said after a minute.

"Thanks." Rim said, focusing his gaze on his friend with sad eyes.

"Just...don't fall asleep, okay?"

"Yeah. Sorry."

Tate grinned, and pulled open the door.

Both boys jumped.

Charlotte stood in the doorway, smiling. She was leaning forward slightly, as if hoping to catch the conversation.

"You're not supposed to leave me by myself, you know." she said, the corners of her mouth pulling back even farther.

Tate and Rim exchanged a glance.

"Let's go back out to the couch, okay?" Rim asked gently.

"After you." Charlotte said cheerfully.

Rim and Tate both kept their eyes on the girl, and then as soon as they were out of the bathroom, Charlotte dashed inside. Tate grabbed her wrist with lightning speed, and for a second, he thought he saw her mouth filled with needle teeth snarl at him. He let go.

"What the hell are you doing?" he yelled.

"Using the bathroom." Charlotte said, still smiling as she turned her head on its side.

She suddenly slammed the door in their faces.

-o-o

Ten minutes later, Charlotte had not come out from the bathroom. Rim and Tate sat on opposite ends of the couch, glancing at each other, the hallway door frame, and the television.

Finally, Rim got up.

"Charlotte?" he called, and got no answer.

He inched towards the bathroom door.

"Charlotte? Everything okay? If you don't say anything, I'm going to come in."

No response.

Rim placed his hand on the knob cautiously.

He suddenly twisted it, but it didn't open.

Rim's arm transformed with a flash, and he used his blade to jimmy the lock and pop open the door, a useful trick.

Charlotte was not in the bathroom, the window open and the curtains blowing in the night breeze.

"SHIT! TATE!"

The green-haired saw weapon dashed to the bathroom and stared at the open window which Rim was already climbing out of.

The two boys soon stood on the outside street, looking around desperately.

"Where did she go?"

-o-o-o

For some reason the door was unlocked. She came right in, right into the trap.

Their madness seemed to be in sync, both determined to torture its host as much as possible.

He was waiting for her, her for the opportunity to get away.

She dangled a scalpel in front of his eyes in the dimly lit room, and their eyes met.

For a second, they were sane.

Charlotte threw herself to the side, and Stein shot backwards in his chair. Anything to get as far as possible from each other.

A minute later, Charlotte's hands brought her crawling back across the floor, and tears rolled down her cheeks.

_Jesus, I'm sorry_. Stein thought desperately as he reached down to pick up the scalpel from where it had been tossed on the floor, now swamped in madness.

He advanced on Charlotte who was still lying on the floor, looking up at him, the corners of her mouth twitching.

The second before he stabbed downwards, her eyes squeezed shut to hide the fear in them.

_I'm sorry, Charlotte._

-o-o-o

The silver-haired scientist had always wondered what it would be like to have a particularly skilled meister under his blade.

He never had actually imagined it happening, and certainty not like this, the first time when he was regretting cutting someone open.

The sharp silver point of the scalpel trailed along her arm, re-opening old cuts and tracing new ones, leaving thin lines of red in its wake.

Stein wondered what her partner would say, and he laughed out loud.

The old familiar noise of screams filled the air, and half of it was almost like music.

The other half actually grated on his bones.

-o—o-o

One particularly bad wound on her leg was the cause of a bent piece of metal on the bench by the park, she was told.

She was told it would be bent if she went to look, but not to look anyway.

In the middle of her way home, Rim and Tate, out of breath, saw her walking on the sidewalk.

"Charlotte!"

She turned her head, and there was such pain in her eyes it made Rim flinch.

"Where the hell were you?"

She only shook her head.

"Let's lock the window next time, Rim." Tate said, and glanced behind them as he walked beside Rim and Charlotte.

Neither noticed the cut on her leg.

It had only been a precaution. He hadn't thought they'd see it anyway, but laughed and cut it open anyway, and wondered for a minute exactly what tendons and muscles to cut if she wouldn't walk again.

-oo-o

Every night, she found a different way to get out, sometimes without Rim or Tate even noticing she was gone.

Two hours later she would come back, with a different 'explanation' on her body and in more pain then the last night.

Stein wondered how long it would take for her to tick. Her madness ensured her mouth would keep shut, but he thought about making something so noticeable that she would break down.

The thought made him smile.

After a week and a half, she showed signs of slipping. While he cut her open, he talked about what he would do if she failed his class.

It was so sick, so _sick_, because he expected her to remain at the top of the class while he tortured her. It made him sick, and sometimes his body rebelled against the madness and he threw up after she was gone.

Rim never suspected anything, no one did. It was all perfect. Of course it was perfect, because the worst case of madness in years was under control by the greatest meister to ever graduate from Shibusen.

He hated to think how much he had changed. His attitude was different; he snapped at her, and for Death's sake, cut her open. Every ounce of trust between them went out the window, and he hated himself, but some part of him hated her too. He hated her because she kept coming to his lab and wouldn't stop, and he couldn't tell her to stay away.

Every day the horrendous cycle repeated, and when she failed her first test he was furious at himself. His madness took his rage and channeled it into whatever sharp object happened to be near, and she cried because she was trying so hard.

He tried to resonate with her, to tell her that it was going to be okay, but they only managed brief snatches before the madness broke it or she grew too distracted by the pain to maintain it.

_Can you hear me, Charlotte?_

He could sense her soul shaking.

_It's going to be okay. _

_I'm sorry for failing the test._

_Don't worry about it. You're a very good student. Think about Rim, okay?_

Her soul quivered violently for a second.

_Charlotte, hold it. I need you to focus!_

She was gone.

He cursed himself. They both knew it was never going to be okay, and he could only hope that someone found out before it got too late.

He knew it would kill her someday.

After it had been going on for a month, Stein wanted to scream. Damn it, why didn't somebody see that they were both acting different?

On a particularly bad day, Stein was able to resonate with the black-haired meister.

_Charlotte-_

_Please kill me, Professor. _

He wanted to die.

_Jesus, Charlotte, I'm sorry. Don't say things like that. Everything's going to be okay._

_Kill me, please...I don't think I can take it anymore._

Stein debated sliding the scalpel across his own throat, but he knew that wouldn't do any good. He wouldn't even get close.

He was in the staff room, pouring himself a cup of coffee with that insane sadistic grin on his face when he heard someone approach Charlotte at her locker.

"Charlotte, can I speak to you for a moment?"

There was silence.

"We're going to need you to do some rememdial lessons...and make up some tests. I haven't addressed Professor Stein yet about this, but your grades are beginning to slip."

"I'm sorry, Death Scythe." her voice was quiet and tired, and it cracked at the end.

"Is there anything that's on your mind? You're a top student, after all."

There was a pause.

"It looks like you should get some more sleep. If there's ever anything you need to talk about, you know there's people you can talk to, right?"

"Yes, Death Scythe. I promise it won't happen again."

"Good girl." Spirit said approvingly.

-o-o-o-o

He suppose he had never felt so many different emotions the night she almost couldn't walk home.

_Professor...Professor, I can't move._

Her voice was panicked, and he listened to the slow drip of blood off the metal table.

He turned around and saw her clutching her leg. In between her fingers, blood spilled out around the tendons and muscles that had been severed. He had stitched them up, but apparently not well enough.

Some of the stitches had fallen out when she had tried to bend her leg. The muscles fell around her fingers, and he saw a brief glimpse of the bone before her desperate fingers tried to push the muscles back around it.

"Stop that. It'll get infected." He slapped her hands away, and put her leg back together. He had a crazy urge to try something different with the placement of the muscles, but he suppressed it.

"There. Now get out, you worthless piece of shit."

_I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. Charlotte, you're not worthless. You're very smart and a great meister. Rim and I are very proud of you._

She did not reply.

_Damn it, don't believe one word of it. Are you listening to me? You got a B on your test today._

A small smile flitted across her face before it was replaced by heavy sadness.

_It's going to be okay, Charlotte._

She looked at him one last time before she left.

_I know, Professor._

They both knew it wasn't going to be okay.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: This chapter is going to circle a lot around Rim. I'm so, so sorry for the long wait...the next one should be a lot sooner. By the way, there's going to be about three or four chapters left before the end of this fic. I should start the sequel soon. It'll be called 'Stitched' :D**

**I don't own Soul Eater, and please review :3**

**Enjoy!**

**-o-o-o-**

She used to have pretty wrists.

It had never really thought about it before, but she had nice wrists with soft, pale skin.

She used to have clean scissors, too.

Being stuck in her own mind was slowly driving Charlotte Williams insane. There was nothing quite like the feeling of being able to watch everything and feel everything, but not be able to control your own body.

It was torture.

There were so many things Charlotte wanted to say, so many hands she wanted to hold.

She knew that Rim was ripping himself apart at why she had become so distant. There was one time where she came so close to showing him what was going on, it hurt so badly to see it fail.

She held on to her lifeline, his statement that he would never leave.

However, when doubt entered Charlotte's mind, that was the purest form of pain. If Rim left, she would not be able to go on.

It was her luck that she had paired with the black-haired garden slasher. There was no one quite like Rim Shakre, and he would never leave his meister for anything.

Stein would admit he had not really been fond of the boy-it was actually ironic. Charlotte was the one who annoyed the hell out of him on the first day and Rim was the quiet one, but he supposed the dislike came from his constant watch. He was always watching the weapon, making sure he was treating his meister right.

He had never failed, and that was something that helped Stein's exhausted body sleep at night. The knowledge that Charlotte's weapon would protect her to the best of his ability, even with his own life, was a relief.

-o-o-o

Their soul collection was steadily growing larger and despite everything, Rim Shakre and Charlotte Williams remained at the top.

Sometimes their relationship would develop cracks but Rim mended it, he was desperate to mend it. He could not let Charlotte go.

Rim would lay on his bed sometimes, staring up at the ceiling, and think about what would happen when they reached one hundred souls.

He would have no reason to stick around Charlotte anymore, he'd be pulled away to some country and not be able to see her every day.

She was one hell of a fighter, and seeing her talents go to waste would be a tragedy.

Maybe he could take her with him to the country he was assigned to. It was unlikely, but Rim would fight for it.

He would fight for Charlotte until the end, and the weapon tried not to let the thought that maybe Charlotte would not want to be around him cross his mind.

She was his girlfriend, after all, and he loved her dearly.

Only his close friends knew that the three purple streaks in his hair weren't hair dye. It was poison(inactive now) embedded into his skull and showing up in his hair. It had been the first of many blows Rim had taken for his meister, and it would not be the last.

Rim lay on his bed, arms behind his head, staring up at the ceiling.

His thoughts were the only things to keep him company.

At the end of the day, Rim decided he had left things to the adults for far too long.

-o-o-o

Rim Shakre had always been a rule-following kind of kid. Unlike most teenagers, he knew that adults knew things that they simply did not. Rim followed the rules and didn't question their authority.

But this was different.

This was different, this was _Charlotte, _his meister, his girlfriend, and he had sat back for too long.

Rim respected privacy. He did not push Charlotte when she did not want to talk. He did not question his teacher's methods of trying to help.

The weapon clenched his fists.

He should've taken action a long time ago, but he would admit that he didn't know what he was dealing with.

He'd heard Charlotte cry behind closed doors for the last time.

Rim didn't really give a shit if he would get in trouble for interfering.

Screw the rules.

-o-o-o

The moment Charlotte had unlocked the door, Rim pulled her inside and tossed her keys onto the couch.

He pulled her into a tight hug.

"Rim?"

The weapon pulled back and searched Charlotte's confused face, brushing a thumb over her cheek.

He reached down and pulled down her sleeves, and she jerked away.

"What are you doing?!"

"Charlotte, stop."

She was reaching for the door, and Rim locked it.

"Rim, you're scaring me!"

"Charlotte." he said urgently through clenched teeth. "_You're _scaring _me._ I've let this go on for too long. I've left it all to Stein-hakase and Death Scythe but they don't know you like I do. I can't take seeing you like this. I left you alone, like you asked, Charlotte, because I love you. But this needs to stop."

Rim bent forward to kiss her.

"You mean so much to me, and I can't let this happen to you."

_Please_, his eyes said. _Tell me._

Charlotte's knees began to shake, and she sank down to the floor and buried her face in her hands.

"You don't understand. I can't, Rim."

"Why not?"

He knelt beside her.

"I can't find the words to explain it when I don't even know myself."

In that moment Rim realized that nothing more had ever mattered in his life then the girl sitting in front of him.

His arm sparked, and Rim took Charlotte's hand.

The power he'd been trying so hard to unlock flowed through the insane meister, and as his unique healing wavelength began to flow, Charlotte realized how tired of waiting she was.

Finally, help had come.

-o-o-o

Rim did the simple job of making his meister dinner and setting up her shower, bandaging her cuts and scrapes and hanging up her coat.

It was the best meal of Charlotte's life.

She felt almost lightheaded, going through her evening like someone _normal_, their every thought not restrained by insanity.

Charlotte couldn't find words to explain the feeling, and she saw how utterly exhausted Rim was from healing her.

He nearly collapsed after serving her dinner, and Charlotte did her best making him comfortable on the couch, his head in her lap.

Her legs swung back and forth, and as her new mind got used to its surrondings, Charlotte wanted to cry and laugh at the same time.

So she did.

She was free to do whatever the hell she wanted for the first time in months.

The first thing was to plant a kiss on Rim's forehead.

-o-o-o


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: In this chapter, it will seem like there is a big jump with Rim and Charlotte's soul count. That's because there is. In order for the rest of the storyline to work out, let's just all go with the fact that they are up to this current number XD**

**I don't own Soul Eater, and please review!**

**-o-o-o**

Charlotte's recovery was slow and tense. She could snap at any moment, go into a fit of madness, but as time went on, it became less and less likely that she would ever slip again.

Stein's recovery was held without the raven-haired meister.

People seemed to think that they would do better seperate for a while.

After a week they were allowed to meet and for a few minutes he could not stop apologizing, his voice full of agony.

-o-o

As was old habit, Rim watched Charlotte out of the corner of his eye as they walked up the empty hallway toward the Death Room.

She seemed not to notice, focusing on her hand swinging in Rim's as they walked.

They arrived at the Death Room with five minutes to spare from their appointed time. The weapon and meister pair went in anyway, walking silently under the rows of guillotines.

Lord Death was waiting for them.

"Hello, hello! How are we feeling, my dear?"

"Fine, thank you!"

Rim lightly squeezed Charlotte's hand, a smile on her face.

"And you, Mr. Shakre?"

"Great, sir."

"Let's get right to the point, then!"

Lord Death tilted his head to the side.

"If I am correct, you two have collected ninety-nine souls?"

The pair nodded.

"Do you believe you are fit to take a witch mission? You are above most of your peers, it wouldn't be a problem to wait."

Rim simply looked at Charlotte, waiting for her answer.

"I...can we think about it?"

"Of course! Let me know what you choose."

The pair bowed.

"Have a great day!"

"You too, sir."

-o-o-o

"Anything you prefer for dinner?"

Charlotte paused in unlacing her boots.

"Crap, I forgot to go to the grocery store."

"I'll go, don't worry."

The meister winced.

"Sorry, Rim."

He grinned at her.

"It's fine, Charlotte. I'll be back soon, okay?"

The tall weapon left and Charlotte waved absently, her mind on the witch mission.

It was silent in the house.

Charlotte's eyes drifted over to the phone and she almost wanted to call her teacher and get his advice. It was one of the most valuable things to her.

She would ask tomorrow.

-o-o-o

"Professor Stein?"

The silver-haired meister looked up.

"Hello, Rim."

"Charlotte and I...we were wondering if we should take a witch mission."

Two weeks. It had been two weeks since she had been brought back, and Stein glanced at Charlotte briefly.

"She wanted your advice, Professor." Rim said softly.

"If you think you are ready, then by all means, go ahead."

Stein tore his gaze from the meister and smiled up at Rim.

"I wish you the best of luck."

"Thank you, Professor."

-o-o

"Rim?"

"Yes, Charlotte?"

"I'll...catch up with you."

Rim thought that maybe the far-away look in Charlotte's eyes had to do with the fact that she didn't talk to their teacher when he was asking about the witch mission, so without a word, he nodded.

He watched as Charlotte turned and opened the door to the classroom again, slipping inside.

Rim stood and waited, half-turned, for a few minutes.

Then he went outside to go start up his motorcycle, his mind already imagining what the witch would look like.

-o-o-o

"Professor Stein?"

It was all she said, but he knew exactly what she was there for.

"Witches are much, much more difficult to defeat than pre-kishins."

Stein pushed his glasses up his nose.

"I know." she said quietly.

"I've taught you and Rim everything you need to know to kill a witch. I've watched you fight before. I've trained you."

He looked up at her.

"But you're not ready, Charlotte."

Her head shot up in shock.

"But you told Rim-"

"I know what I said!" Stein spat. "He may be ready, but you're not."

His tone was harsh, and he turned in his chair, away from the meister.

Stein heard her rush out and clenched his fists, letting his shoulders slump.

All lies.

It was all lies. She was ready, she could do it, but he would not let her go.

He knew the witch they would get.

And he was doubtful about the outcome of the fight.

-o-o-o

Charlotte was oddly quiet the ride home.

The thing was, she did not want to tell Rim what their teacher had said. She wanted to take the mission.

She was doubtful if she was ready.

But it was Rim.

Rim had been waiting for this...they had collected their ninety-nine souls a while ago, but their witch mission had been put off because of _her_.

Even though Charlotte knew Rim would never put the mission in front of her, she felt horrible. She knew he'd had to wait.

She wanted him to become a Deathscythe as much as he did.

-o-o-

Their witch mission was in Alaska.

Charlotte hiked through the snow, her breath clouding in front of her and a hood over her eyes.

Back in Nevada, the mission was being watched.

Stein was present, as well as Spirit, Marie, Azusa, Kid, Sid, Nygus, and Lord Death.

Rim had told Lord Death they would be taking the mission the day after he had asked for advice, and five days later, they were on a plane to Alaska.

When they had gotten out of sight of the town, Rim transformed, and Charlotte walked on in silence.

The witch was somewhere in an underground cave system they would enter shortly.

Charlotte's hands were shaking slightly around Rim's handle, but it was too late to back out now. Even if she could, Rim knew Charlotte wouldn't.

The sun, barely revealed from the heavy cloud cover, glinted off the edge of his blade.

Charlotte was blinded for a split second, but a split second was all it took.

Beneath them, there was a giant explosion, and the weapon and meister pair suddenly disappeared, sucked underground into the cave system that they did not know they were walking on.

-o-o-o

The witch had short brown hair, hidden under a large hat that slipped down over her eyes. The hat was black with a silver band, and the bird was made of small gears and tiny, detailed metal parts upon closer inspection. The wings were held close to the body, glinting in the rays of sunlight coming down from the hole in the cave roof. The metal was inscribed with runes in a foreign language, some glowing ice blue. Her face was smeared with dirt and she boasted large, dark, intelligent eyes, full of malice.

She wore a sleeveless brown dress, tattered at the ends and hanging off the black belt were several bottles and flasks, one hanging down almost to the start of her boots.

And she had a handful of bombs.

Another one exploded near Charlotte's feet and the meister dove to the right, the witch's shrill cackle filling the cavern.

"So they've finally come to get me!"

Charlotte stood up, brushing the snow off her jeans.

"Lady Ammi Callere, I've come to take your soul."

-o-o-o

The witch was a good match for the raven-haired meister.

Charlotte was agile, quick on her feet, and she was doing a good job of dodging the witch's bombs. Ammi never seemed to run out, new ones appearing in her hand after they were thrown.

Other than explosives, she had knives and spells that came close to driving icicles through Charlotte's body if she lost concentration.

The witch remained on the ceiling, almost taunting the girl with her serene smile.

Charlotte was beginning to tire out, the constant dodging back and forth taking its toll.

The main problem was that there was no way she could use Rim. The witch was all the way up in the corner of the cave, and she was on the floor, trying to avoid being blown to bits. She could barely move out of the way, let alone try and swing Rim around.

But all that training had not been for nothing, and Charlotte intended to show the witch that she was not the only one with a wicked throwing arm.

Charlotte aimed and threw Rim at the witch, but the garden slasher came shooting right back at her, repelled by the force field around the witch.

"Shit." Charlotte swore under her breath.

She glared up at the witch, who was having a grand old time watching her exhaust herself.

Then Charlotte noticed something strange.

The bird on Ammi's hat, it was moving, and the runes glowing were not the same as the ones at the start of the fight.

Just as she paused to notice, an icicle came within an inch of her head, thudding into the cave wall behind her.

The beak was open, and the runes on the wings were glowing.

A bomb landed near her hip, and ringing started in her ears. She barely had time to move before the beak opened again and the wings glowed, an icicle slicing into her arm.

"Charlotte!" Rim cried out.

"I think I've got her, Rim." the girl muttered, keeping her eyes on the witch's hat.

Beak and wings for icicles.

Feet and tail for bombs.

Neck and belly feathers for knives.

She was right, and a grin spread across her face.

Charlotte had figured it out, but now she needed to know how to use it to her advantage.

Yes, she now knew what to expect, but that didn't help her much in the long run.

Charlotte used Rim to deflect a shower of knives and glanced at her arm as the sleeve sagged.

The scar.

Her mind shot back to the day she had learned to use her secret weapon and then suddenly it was clear. If she could get the witch down, it would all be over for Ammi.

"Rim." Charlotte started. "I-"

A bomb exploded on her left leg, and an icicle was suddenly sticking out of her hip.

Charlotte screamed.

-o-o-o

**A/N: Next chapter will finish up the rest of the fight! Please review!**


	11. Chapter 11

It was a weapon's duty to protect his meister, no matter what. Even at the cost of his own life. This was the single concept that was the most important to every weapon enrolled into Shibusen, and the first one taught.

Rim was religious about it.

The three purple stripes on his head-there was only a small group of people that knew that it wasn't hair dye. It was actual poison(dormant now) that was inlaid in his skull, and showed in his hair.

He'd taken the blow, stepping in front of Charlotte. He very well could have died, but in the moment, it didn't matter.

Even before Rim had fallen in love with Charlotte, she was his meister, and he would protect her.

As he watched the fire engulf her leg and the icicle spear her skin, a stab of pain drove through Rim's own heart.

She was hurt, and it was his fault.

Another lesson taught at Shibusen was to never change out of your weapon form unless you absolutely had to. It was much harder for a weapon to get hurt in their destructive form, and when in human form, it was an extra body the meister had to watch out for.

Charlotte was hurt, and by the looks of it, the witch knew that she wasn't dead.

This was the exception. He needed to get her out of danger.

With a bright blue flash, Rim transformed and dragged Charlotte out of the witch's path, throwing snow over her leg to douse the fire.

"Are you okay?"

Charlotte was biting her lip, pressing her fingers around the quickly blossoming pool of blood around the icicle. A brief, bubbling laugh spilled out of her lips, and Rim glanced up at his meister.

"Charlotte, stay with me."

Rim's fingers wrapped around the sharp stick of ice, and he yanked.

Immediately, he was working to bandage the wound with a strip of his own shirt.

"It'll hold. How's your leg?"

Rim helped Charlotte up, well aware of the cackling witch in the background. They needed to get back to the fight soon, or else she was going to come looking for them.

She crumpled, and he barely caught her. Despair was soaring through him.

"I'm fine." she managed, her breath clouding in the air. "Transform back, Rim!"

Reluctantly, he obeyed.

She was the meister and he had to go under her judgment.

-o-o-o

Charlotte leveled the sleek garden slasher in her hands, eyeing the witch.

If Ammi moved in the right spot, she would have a chance to take her down.

But it was risky.

Ammi could move out of the way, Rim's blade could be embedded in the cave wall, she could miss...there were a lot of things that could go wrong and leave her defenseless, but it was still a chance.

"Still going, little girl?"

It was once chance, and she might as well make it count.

Charlotte's arm swung back and then shot forward, vaulting Rim high in the air and straight at the witch.

It hit its mark, clipping the witch's shoulder.

The problem was that Rim landed too far away for her to reach if something went badly, but Charlotte could already feel her soul sparking.

She advanced towards the witch, who was sprawled on the ground.

Charlotte didn't get too close, advice ringing in her ears about what witches had done to unsuspecting meisters who let their guard down.

Without hesitation, her hand shot out and grabbed the witch's chin, forcing it upwards.

Malice and madness were running through Charlotte's veins, and she felt a giggle rising in her throat. It would be so _easy_ to rip the witch to pieces, to leave her a bloody mess on the floor.

Charlotte fought to regain control and took a deep breath, unnoticed by everyone except herself.

She allowed her wavelength to come flowing and sparking out of her fingertips, electrocuting the witch. Ammi's scream filled the cavern and Charlotte fell to her knees, her hands closing around the witch's throat.

The laugh finally burst out of her chest and she shook the woman like a rag doll, squeezing, and the blue sparks crackled around her face.

Suddenly, there was a hand on Charlotte's shoulder.

She stuck a hand out and in a few seconds felt the cool metal of Rim's handle.

Charlotte Williams swung the blade at the witch's chest, and her eyes followed the mottled red soul that rose from the dead body.

-o-o-o

The raven-haired meister was numb to the hugs, cheers, handshakes, and pats on the back as she pushed through the elated crowd in the Death Room, her eyes fixed upon one lone figure.

When she walked in front of Stein, her hands bloody and her breath harsh, she waited.

He simply nodded.

Stein's was the first real embrace she was conscious to, and Charlotte blinked, weariness overcoming her muscles.

"I'm proud of you, Charlotte. Great job."

The ceremony, Rim's ceremony, was to be held in two or three days. She went to find him next and the two sank into relieved laughter, sitting down on the edge of the platform with their fingers entwined.

"You're amazing, Charlotte. You really are."

"Couldn't have done it without you." she winked, and he grinned.

-o-o-o

Charlotte was honored to accept the invitation for dinner from her professor.

Something was prickling at the back of her mind and his eye was twitching, but after all, what could go wrong?

**-o-o-o**

**A/N: I wrote this all in one night :D but I hope you guys like it :3 after this chapter, about two or three more. I know it's been a while...and I actually had to re-write this, because I had half of it and then my computer broke. When it got fixed, I didn't remember what I was going to do, so I had to trash it and completely start over. I'm happy with it, though :D**

**Please review!**


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